In this episode of the ABA Business Leaders Podcast, April Smith, co-founder of 3 Pie Squared, hosts an expert panel discussion featuring:

• Alecia Barrett BCBA, COBA, LSW and owner of A. Barrett Academy, LLC located in Holland Ohio

• Brooke Schneider, M.S.Ed., BCBA, LBA is the Founder and Clinical Director of Orange Pediatric Therapy, which she opened in 2015

• Mallory Stinger, BCBA, CEU Coordinator, IEP Advocate, Sleep Consultant. Mallory has been in the field since 2010.

• Jennifer Helten, the CEO and Founder of Unique Pathways LLC.

The panel explores the risks of micromanagement, the challenge of delegating before you feel “ready,” and why most owners are never fully prepared for the next level of scale. Plus, each founder answer one of the most pressing questions ABA Business Owners ask:

What one move can I make to drive my business forward?

Key themes include:

• Identifying decisions that unlock operational momentum rather than adding complexity

• Letting go of control without sacrificing quality or outcomes

• Choosing your “hard” as a business owner and accepting that growth always comes with trade-offs

• The long-term impact of training, developing, and growing alongside your BCBAs

• Why background work and infrastructure matter just as much as visible leadership

Have a question for Stephen and April?

Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline: (737) 330-1432

Join our ABA Business Owner Support Group here for Free: Sign up here

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

In this special panel episode of the ABA Business Leaders Podcast, host April Smith, co-founder of 3 Pie Squared, is joined by Jennifer Helten and Mallory Stinger for a candid, wide-ranging conversation about the realities of owning and leading an ABA business.

Together, they explore the emotional, operational, and leadership challenges that show up once you step into ownership. From guilt and over-responsibility to delegation, boundaries, and the constant pressure of “everything being a priority.” The discussion also introduces the ABA Business Leaders Support Group, a new monthly space designed specifically for ABA owners who want connection, clarity, and support from peers who truly understand the role.

This episode is sponsored by SILNA, the leading care readiness platform and AI-driven prior authorization management tool, helping ABA organizations reduce administrative burden, improve authorization workflows, and focus more time on delivering care.

Learn more about SILNA here:

https://www.silnahealth.com/?ref=3Pie#get-started

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

• Common emotional and operational crossover experiences amongst business owners, regardless of size or location
• How owner guilt shows up day-to-day
• Why “if everything is a priority, nothing is a priority” increases your risk of burnout as an ABA Business Owner
• Practical insights on delegation, time audits, and letting go of tasks that no longer serve your role
• The emotional process of mourning tasks after delegating them
• Parallels between parenting and running an ABA business, including boundaries and time off

Have a Question for Stephen and April?

Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline:

📞 (737) 330-1432

Resources & Links

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

ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs

https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Business_Leaders_Podcast_CEUs

Episode Sponsor — SILNA

https://www.silnahealth.com/?ref=3Pie#get-started

Back to Basics – HIPAA 101

In this episode of the ABA Business Leaders Podcast, Stephen and April Smith of 3 Pie Squared return to fundamentals, breaking down HIPAA through the lens of real operational decisions ABA owners face every day. They are joined by Nandy Bo, Cybersecurity Expert from Cyber Swiss Army Knife Squad. From device security and Wi-Fi risks to IT systems, policies, and staff practices, this conversation is designed to help you identify vulnerabilities before they become liabilities.

You’ll hear practical guidance on encrypted devices, bring-your-own-device policies, iPads in ABA clinic settings, cloud systems, and remote monitoring tools. The discussion also explores scalable IT recommendations for small and mid-sized ABA practices, including penetration testing, multi-factor authentication, and how to evaluate whether a platform is genuinely HIPAA-compliant.

Whether you are just getting started or reassessing your current systems, this episode provides a clear, actionable framework for strengthening HIPAA compliance across your organization.

Episode Highlights

• What HIPAA means for ABA business owners

• The risks of unsecured devices, public Wi-Fi, and poor systems

• Bring-your-own-device policies in clinical environments

• Best practices for ABA document storage and access

• IT system recommendations tailored to ABA practices

• iPads, cameras, and remote technology in your ABA clinic

Have a question for Stephen and April?
Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline: (737) 330-1432

Resources & Links

• Need Nandy’s Help? Check out Cyber Swiss Army Knife - https://3piesquared.com/business-affiliate/cyber-swiss-army-knife-squad

• 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