ABA Business Leaders

By Stephen & April SmithBusiness Entrepreneurship Science Social Sciences

ABA Business Leaders episodes

April 02April Fools'
In this April Fool’s–themed episode, Stephen and April Smith are joined by a panel of ABA owners – Chris, Jennifer, Alecia Barrett, & Mallory Stinger - sharing their most unbelievable (but very real) stories from running an ABA business.
From insurance nightmares to staff issues and difficult audits, the conversation balances humour with practical takeaways. At its core, it’s about staying grounded, trusting your instincts, and leading with clarity when situations get messy.
☎️ Have a Question?
Have a question for Stephen and April?
Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline: (737) 330-1432

🔗 Resources & Links
Business Essentials List
https://www.3piesquared.com/blog/the-essential-list-for-a-successful-business_24
Schedule a Consultation with Stephen
https://3piesquared.com/stephen-booking-page
Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment
https://3piesquared.com/aba-business-readiness-assessment
ABA Billing Tips Guide
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Billing_Tips
ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Business_Leaders_Podcast_CEUs
1 hr 8 min
March 26 Buying and Selling an ABA
In this episode, Stephen and April sit down with Alex Veach, founder of Agenda Health, to break down what it looks like to buy or sell an ABA business. From understanding valuations to navigating the emotional and operational challenges of a sale, this conversation gives a practical look at a process many owners think about, but few fully understand.
Alex shares insights from the transaction side of the industry, highlighting what makes a business attractive to buyers, what slows deals down, and how owners can position themselves for a successful exit or acquisition.
Sponsored By Office Puzzle
This episode is brought to you by Office Puzzle.
Simplify your back-office operations and get the clarity you need to scale your ABA business.
Try it free for 30 days:
officepuzzle.com/3ps
Have a Question for Stephen & April?
Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline: (737) 330-1432
Resources & Links
Business Essentials List
https://www.3piesquared.com/blog/the-essential-list-for-a-successful-business_24
Schedule a Consultation with Stephen
https://3piesquared.com/stephen-booking-page
Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment
https://3piesquared.com/aba-business-readiness-assessment
ABA Billing Tips Guide
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Billing_Tips
ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Business_Leaders_Podcast_CEUs
1 hr 16 min
March 19 Self Care in ABA
In this episode, Stephen and April Smith sit down with Josh Levine, co-founder of Momentum, for a conversation about burnout, leadership, and the role of self-awareness in the ABA field. Josh shares how a simple habit of daily reflection helped him grow as a clinician and develop a mindset focused on continuous improvement rather than perfection.
The discussion explores the emotional side of behavioral work, from overcoming negative self-talk to recognizing how burnout affects business owners, staff, and clients alike. Stephen, April, and Josh also talk about the importance of trust, delegation, and hiring team members who align with your organization’s values.
The episode closes with a powerful reminder that meaningful change in leadership starts internally. When clinicians and business owners prioritize self-awareness, compassion, and personal growth, it creates healthier teams and better outcomes for the families they serve.
Have a question for Stephen and April?
Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline: (737) 330-1432
Resources & Links
SILNA
https://www.silnahealth.com/?ref=3Pie#get-started
ABA Support Group for Business Owners
https://forms.office.com/r/cigPR8wFFC
Business Essentials List
https://www.3piesquared.com/blog/the-essential-list-for-a-successful-business_24
Schedule a consultation with Stephen
https://3piesquared.com/stephen-booking-page
Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment
https://3piesquared.com/aba-business-readiness-assessment
ABA Billing Tips Guide
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Billing_Tips
ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Business_Leaders_Podcast_CEUs
1 hr 39 min
March 12 Audit Anxiety in ABA Businesses: Lessons Every Owner Needs to Hear
Audit anxiety is one of the most common — and least talked about — pressures facing ABA business owners.
Hosts Stephen and April, joined by Alecia Barrett from A. Barrett Academy LLC, share candid stories about the audits they personally went through, including moments when accusations of fraud and recoupment demands threatened their stability. These stories highlight an important truth for ABA owners: audits are stressful, but they’re also manageable when you understand your rights and keep strong documentation.
They also walk through what happens when insurers raise fraud concerns, how to respond to recoupment demands, and the importance of preparing long before an audit begins. Clean documentation, consistent systems, and proactive processes can make the difference between a stressful review and a business-threatening crisis.
If you’ve ever felt the weight of compliance anxiety or worried about what an audit might uncover, this episode offers reassurance, practical guidance, and real-world lessons from leaders who have navigated these challenges themselves.
Have a question for Stephen and April?
Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline: (737) 330-1432
Resources & Links
MarginKeepers:
https://3piesquared.com/business-affiliate/MarginKeepers

Business Essentials List
https://www.3piesquared.com/blog/the-essential-list-for-a-successful-business_24
Schedule a consultation with Stephen
https://3piesquared.com/stephen-booking-page
Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment
https://3piesquared.com/aba-business-readiness-assessment
ABA Billing Tips Guide
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Billing_Tips
ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Business_Leaders_Podcast_CEUs
1 hr 1 min
March 05 ABA Business Leaders and Work-Life Balance
In this solo episode, April Smith takes a direct and nuanced look at burnout in the ABA industry, and challenges the way we talk about it.
Rather than accepting burnout as an inevitable byproduct of leadership, April explores the illusion of burnout and how it shows up specifically for ABA business owners. She unpacks the subtle ways leaders can feel trapped: by their standards of excellence, by financial pressure, and by the belief that exhaustion is simply “part of the job.”
This episode goes beyond surface-level self-care advice. April examines how a lack of operational options—limited margin, no leadership depth, unclear systems—creates the emotional experience we label as burnout. When you don’t have choices, everything feels heavy. When you can’t step away, every problem feels personal.
If you’re an ABA owner who feels constantly behind, stretched thin, or questioning the reason you built your business, this conversation will resonate.

Have a question for Stephen and April?
Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline: (737) 330-1432
Resources & Links
Free ABA Business Leaders Support Group
https://forms.office.com/r/cigPR8wFFC
Business Essentials List
https://www.3piesquared.com/blog/the-essential-list-for-a-successful-business_24
Schedule a consultation with Stephen
https://3piesquared.com/stephen-booking-page
Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment
https://3piesquared.com/aba-business-readiness-assessment
ABA Billing Tips Guide
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Billing_Tips
35 min
February 26 Why Are Prior Authorizations in ABA Changing?
In this episode of the ABA Business Leaders Podcast, April and Stephen discuss the evolving landscape of prior authorizations in ABA with Jeff Morelli from Silna Health. SILNA handles prior-authorizations using the power of AI, all designed specifically for ABA Businesses and their workflows.
They explore the challenges faced by clinicians due to administrative burdens and how technology, particularly AI, is reshaping the reimbursement process.
Jeff introduces Silna's Predictive Document Intelligence, which aims to streamline authorizations and reduce denial rates. The conversation highlights the importance of efficient systems in ABA practices, the financial risks associated with denied authorizations, and the need for delegation and resource utilization to enhance clinician focus on patient care.
Have a question for Stephen and April?
Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline: (737) 330-1432
Resources & Links
SILNA:
https://www.silnahealth.com/?ref=3Pie#get-started

Business Essentials List
https://www.3piesquared.com/blog/the-essential-list-for-a-successful-business_24
Schedule a consultation with Stephen
https://3piesquared.com/stephen-booking-page
Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment
https://3piesquared.com/aba-business-readiness-assessment
ABA Billing Tips Guide
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Billing_Tips
50 min
February 19 ️ Artificial Intelligence in ABA
In this episode, Stephen and April sit down with Dr. David J. Cox, a uniquely cross-disciplinary thinker whose work spans behavior analysis, bioethics, behavioral economics, and data science. With formal training from Union Graduate College, a PhD from the University of Florida, and post-doctoral work at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and the Insight Data Science Fellowship, David brings a rare lens to one of the most pressing conversations in ABA today: What does AI mean for clinical quality, professional judgment, and business leadership?
Having worked in behavior analysis since 2006 as a clinician, academic, technologist, and researcher—with more than 70 peer-reviewed publications—David helps unpack the signal vs. noise around artificial intelligence and its real implications for BCBAs and the organizations they lead.
📞 Have a Question for Stephen & April?
Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline:
(737) 330-1432
Sponsored by Office Puzzle
This episode is sponsored by Office Puzzle, an all-in-one practice management software built to streamline workflows, simplify data collection, and help ABA practices operate more efficiently from intake to billing. With intuitive tools and an easy learning curve, teams can spend less time on administrative work and more time on client care.
Join our ABA Business Leaders Support Group
Sign up here (free)
https://forms.office.com/r/cigPR8wFFC
🔗 Resources & Links
Office Puzzle
https://3piesquared.com/business-affiliate/office-puzzle
ABA Business Leaders Support Group for FREE:
https://forms.office.com/r/cigPR8wFFC
Business Essentials List
https://www.3piesquared.com/blog/the-essential-list-for-a-successful-business_24
Schedule a Consultation with Stephen
https://3piesquared.com/stephen-booking-page
Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment
https://3piesquared.com/aba-business-readiness-assessment
ABA Billing Tips Guide
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Billing_Tips
ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Business_Leaders_Podcast_CEUs
1 hr 15 min
February 12Valentines Episode - Couples as Co-owners Panel
ABA Business Leaders Podcast
Stephen and April Smith are seasoned ABA entrepreneurs who built, scaled, and successfully exited a seven-figure ABA practice. Now, through 3 Pie Squared, they help other ABA business owners grow sustainable, values-driven companies without burning out or losing sight of what matters most.
In this Valetines Day special episode, Stephen and April explore what really happens when couples build ABA businesses together. They are joined by a select panel of couples in business together in the ABA industry:
Jes Pape & Chris Robinson- AByay
Jessica Harrison & Joshua Harrison – ENC ABA
Tasneem Ramey - Summit Collaborative Care
If you’re in business with your partner (or considering it) this episode offers practical insight grounded in real-world experience.
Join our ABA Business Leaders Support Group for Couples
💬 Interested? Sign up here : https://forms.office.com/r/LLpAHCXUN8
Resources & Links
Business Essentials List
https://www.3piesquared.com/blog/the-essential-list-for-a-successful-business_24
Schedule a Consultation with Stephen
https://3piesquared.com/stephen-booking-page
Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment
https://3piesquared.com/aba-business-readiness-assessment
ABA Billing Tips Guide
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Billing_Tips
ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Business_Leaders_Podcast_CEUs

Have a Question for Stephen and April?
Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline:
📞 (737) 330-1432
1 hr 28 min
February 05Aligning Values and Growth in ABA Businesses
In this episode, Stephen and April Smith of 3 Pie Squared explore how values shape decisions, culture, and growth in ABA businesses. Drawing from their experience building and exiting a seven-figure practice, they discuss aligning goals with values, learning from mistakes, and turning abstract principles into actionable business practices.
Stephen and April also highlight the role of teams in upholding values through trust, communication, and accountability, and share how 3 Pie Squared introduced a new value to reflect their evolving business.
Whether you are starting, scaling, or preparing your ABA practice for exit, this episode offers actionable insights for integrating values into leadership, operations, and financial strategy to drive ethical, sustainable growth.
Sponsored by MarginKeepers
This episode is sponsored by MarginKeepers, a full-service accounting firm specializing in ABA businesses. MarginKeepers helps practice owners maintain financial clarity so their values can be upheld in daily operations and long-term strategy.
Have a question for Stephen and April?
📞 Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline: (737) 330-1432

Resources & Links
MarginKeepers: https://3piesquared.com/business-affiliate/MarginKeepers
Business Essentials List: https://www.3piesquared.com/blog/the-essential-list-for-a-successful-business_24
Schedule a Consultation with Stephen: https://3piesquared.com/stephen-booking-page
Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment: https://3piesquared.com/aba-business-readiness-assessment
ABA Billing Tips Guide: https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Billing_Tips
ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs: https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Business_Leaders_Podcast_CEUs
51 min
January 29 ABA Practice Management Software: Why You Need It and What to Look For
ABA Practice Management Software: Why You Need It and What to Look For
Running an ABA practice and delivering great clinical care go hand in hand with efficient systems and reliable software.
In this episode of ABA Business Leaders, Stephen and April Smith sit down with Charlene Kurth, Chief Operating Officer at Office Puzzle, and Hailu Jardines, CEO of Office Puzzle, to unpack why practice management software (PMS) is a crucial tool for scaling your ABA business, and how the right platform can directly impact efficiency, compliance, and long-term enterprise value.
Together, they explore the evolution from pen-and-paper operations to fully integrated systems, common mistakes practice owners make when selecting software, and what to look for if you’re considering switching platforms. The conversation also dives into Electronic Visit Verification (EVV), scalability challenges, and why your PMS plays a critical role if you plan to one day sell your practice.
Whether you’re just getting started or managing a multi-location organization, this episode offers practical insight into aligning your technology with your business goals.

📞 Have a Question for Stephen & April?
Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline:
(737) 330-1432

🔗 Resources & Links
Office Puzzle Affiliate Link
https://3piesquared.com/business-affiliate/office-puzzle
Business Essentials List
https://www.3piesquared.com/blog/the-essential-list-for-a-successful-business_24
Schedule a Consultation with Stephen
https://3piesquared.com/stephen-booking-page
Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment
https://3piesquared.com/aba-business-readiness-assessment
ABA Billing Tips Guide
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Billing_Tips
ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs
https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Business_Leaders_Podcast_CEUs
1 hr 2 min

About ABA Business Leaders

From the publisher's feed

You started an ABA practice because you wanted to provide good services. Now you are also responsible for hiring, payroll, billing, training, supervision, policies, and making sure there is enough…

money to keep it all going. Somewhere in there you are supposed to have a life too.

We get it. We ran an ABA practice for nearly 10 years, and we know what it feels like when the business depends on you to hold everything together.

ABA Business Leaders is hosted by April and Stephen Smith, the owners of 3 Pie Squared. We talk about the practical work of starting, running, and growing an Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) practice. That includes the decisions that affect your staff, your families, your finances, and the quality of the services you provide.

Some problems look simple until you start looking at where they came from. A billing issue may have started at intake. A staff performance issue may come back to unclear expectations or training that never included a competency check. A full schedule can look great while the company is struggling to make payroll. These are the kinds of things we talk through.

Along with our guests, we share experiences, ask questions, and discuss what owners and leaders can do to build better systems. You’ll hear conversations about:

Starting an ABA practice: Planning, startup costs, credentialing, choosing funders, and building the foundation before taking on more than you can support.
Hiring and supporting staff: Recruiting, onboarding, training, supervision, feedback, accountability, and helping people understand what is expected of them.
Billing and financial health: Claims, denials, cash flow, funder rates, expenses, and understanding whether the services you provide are financially sustainable.
Quality and ethics: Looking beyond billables to consider treatment quality, staff support, family communication, and the pressures that influence everyday decisions.
Policies, compliance, and audit preparation: Turning requirements into processes people can follow and keeping documentation from becoming something you scramble to fix later.
Leadership and growth: Delegating, tracking useful measures, developing leaders, and getting information out of the owner’s head so the team can do its work.
Technology and practice management: Making scheduling, documentation, communication, training, and billing easier to manage without creating more work for everyone.

We also talk about the strain of ownership. It is difficult to support your team when you are burned out, making every decision, and fixing the same problems every week. Hiring more people or adding more clients does not automatically fix that. You need to understand what is breaking down and build systems that your team can actually use.

Whether you are preparing to open your doors, managing an established practice, or leading a team, our goal is to give you something useful to think about and bring back to your company. We want more ABA businesses that can provide quality care, support their staff, pay their bills, and keep doing that over time.

Learn more about our training, handbooks, consulting, credentialing, billing services, and practice management software at 3piesquared.com.