Sponsored by SILNA This episode is proudly sponsored by SILNA, a platform helping ABA providers navigate compliance, resources, and advocacy in the field.

👉 Learn more

Episode Summary

Success looks different for every ABA business owner, especially as your company grows. April and Stephen discuss how to define and measure success when starting out, how your definition evolves over time, and strategies to grow your ABA business with intention and purpose.

Key Topics Covered

• Defining Success When Starting Out Early-stage success might mean keeping clients happy and managing billing effectively. April shares how your success metrics will evolve as your business grows.

• Knowing Your Why Establishing your purpose helps guide decisions. April explains that even an informal sense of direction is enough to measure progress.

• What Do You Want to Avoid? Stephen suggests that success can also come from identifying what failure looks like and what kind of business you don’t want to run.

• Finding a Healthy Work Rhythm Work-life balance isn’t always realistic. Enjoying your work and creating sustainable habits is a better measure of success.

• Growing with Intention Metrics matter, but they shouldn’t overshadow your purpose. April and Stephen discuss aligning growth with your mission.

• Making Success Visible Systems, culture, and structure should clearly reflect your business success, especially if you plan to sell or step back from day-to-day operations.

Takeaways

• Success in ABA evolves over time.

• Align growth with your purpose and mission.

• Metrics should support your goals, not define them.

• A well-run business shows visible, intentional success.

Resources & Links

🎧 Podcast CEUs: ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEU’s

📊 Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment: ABA Business Readiness Assessment

💰 ABA Billing Tips Guide: ABA Billing Tips

Get in Touch

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

Back to Basics: Emergencies!

Sponsored by MarginKeepers – specialized accounting and consulting for ABA providers.

Learn more: MarginKeepers Affiliate Link

Running an ABA business comes with unique challenges — and emergencies can strike at any time. In this episode, April and Stephen discuss how ABA business owners can stay prepared, keep operations running smoothly, and protect both staff and clients when unexpected events occur.

Key Topics Covered:

• Emergencies as a Solo ABA Business Owner Tips for managing critical tasks when you’re the only one in charge and an emergency hits.

• Continuity of Operations How to create a simple, actionable continuity plan that ensures your business continues to function during disruptions.

• Scaling and Staffing Challenges The importance of structuring your team correctly, including ensuring BCBAs are employees rather than contractors, and how high staff turnover can complicate emergency response.

• Delegation and Access Strategies for documenting responsibilities, giving employees decision-making authority, and ensuring access to critical systems.

• Emergency Procedures During Business Sale or Growth Why procedures can fall out of date during transitions and how to maintain readiness for any situation.

Takeaways:

• Emergencies are inevitable, but preparation is within your control.

• Clear documentation, delegation, and structured systems make your ABA business resilient.

• Financial and operational clarity are key to surviving and thriving during unexpected events.

Have a question for Stephen and April?

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

Resources

🎧 Podcast CEU’s:

👉 ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEU’s

🧾 Check your business readiness:

👉 ABA Business Readiness Assessment

Learn more about MarginKeepers: Visit MarginKeepers

In this Back to Basics episode of the ABA Business Leaders Podcast, hosts Stephen and April Smith dive into one of the most overlooked parts of running an ABA business: professional boundaries.

From saying “no” when needed to building time for self-care, they explore how boundaries aren’t just about protecting your time. They’re about protecting your ability to lead well and avoid burnout.

Key Takeaways:

Reflecting on Leadership When stepping into leadership, many ABA business owners forget to stop and think about what leading actually means. Stephen and April discuss how easy it is to wear every hat in the beginning, and how that can quickly lead to exhaustion if you don’t set limits early.

Self-Care Isn’t Optional April shares her simple but powerful strategy for staying balanced: setting alarms to eat lunch, take breaks, and step away from the desk. These reminders keep you grounded and help prevent burnout. Leadership starts with taking care of yourself.

Learning to Say No Saying “yes” to everything often leads to blurred boundaries and mental fatigue. April talks about her own experience with overcommitting and how learning to say “no” has helped her protect her time and stay focused on what truly matters.

Managing Your Caseload Wisely Not all clients are the same. Stephen and April explain why it’s important to be mindful of both the number and type of clients you take on. Taking too much work, or too many high-need clients, can hurt your energy and the quality of care you provide.

Recalibrating Your Role Starting an ABA business is hard work. April discusses how becoming an effective leader means shifting from being a great BCBA to being a great business owner. It’s a learning process that takes patience, reflection, and adaptability.

Boundaries and the Helper Mindset Stephen points out that most BCBAs are natural helpers who want to take on as much as possible so people can get the support they need. But without boundaries, that good intention can lead to burnout. Setting limits keeps you sustainable and effective in the long run.

Episode Summary:

Boundaries are the framework that helps your ABA business grow in a healthy way. In this episode, Stephen and April share real experiences and insights on how to protect your time, energy, and leadership capacity by setting strong professional boundaries.

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

📚 Resources & Links:

🧾 Business Essentials List

💼 Schedule a consultation with Stephen

🧠 Free ABA Business Readiness Assessment

💳 ABA Billing Tips Guide 🎧 ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs

In this episode of the ABA Business Leaders Podcast, hosts Stephen and April Smith get back to basics. They break down the key steps for setting up your ABA business the right way — from licensing and ownership rules to credit card strategies and company naming pitfalls.

It’s a practical, down-to-earth conversation full of lessons learned and advice every ABA business owner should hear — whether you’re just starting out or getting ready to grow.

Key Takeaways

• Get your licenses in order. Many ABA businesses need multiple permits depending on their services and state. Don’t skip this step — it can save you big headaches later.
• Check ownership laws. States like New York (and soon Illinois) require practices to be owned by licensed professionals. Always confirm with an advisor before registering your business.
• Pick a smart name. Your business name and professional email setup can shape first impressions and help you stand out.
• Use credit cards wisely. When insurance payments lag, a business credit card can help you smooth out cash flow.
• Plan for growth. As your business expands, your systems, policies, and even your insurance coverage need to evolve too.
• Document your changes. Keeping notes on what’s working and what’s not makes it easier to delegate and improve operations as you grow.

Sponsored by Live Oak Bank

This episode is sponsored by Live Oak Bank — the go-to financial partner for ABA providers. Live Oak offers flexible lending and specialized healthcare financing to help your business grow responsibly.

👉 Learn more here: https://3piesquared.com/business-affiliate/live-oak-bank

Resources & Links

📋 The Essential List for a Successful Business Your checklist for building a strong ABA foundation: 👉 https://www.3piesquared.com/blog/the-essential-list-for-a-successful-business_24

🎧 ABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs Earn CEUs while you learn:

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

💼 ABA Business Readiness Assessment Find out if your ABA business is ready to scale:

👉 https://3piesquared.com/aba-business-readiness-assessment

💡 ABA Billing Tips Simple tips to keep your cash flow strong:

👉 https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Billing_Tips

🗓 Book a Consultation with Stephen Smith Get expert advice for your ABA business:

👉 https://3piesquared.com/stephen-booking-page

Want to Get in Touch?

Have a question for Stephen and April? Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline at (737) 330-1432 — they’d love to hear from you!

Description

In this episode of the ABA Business Leaders Podcast, hosts Stephen and April Smith break down one of the most critical — and often misunderstood — parts of running an ABA business: billing.

From choosing between in-house and outsourced billing to understanding payer contracts, they explore the practical steps that help your clinic stay compliant, efficient, and profitable. Stephen and April share hard-earned lessons about reading contracts carefully, negotiating rates, maintaining control over your billing process, and tracking denials to spot inefficiencies before they snowball.

Whether you’re just getting started or looking to clean up your current systems, this episode will help you take a closer look at your billing practices and ensure your business’s financial health is as strong as your clinical outcomes.

Key Takeaways

Your billing setup isn’t permanent. You can start in-house and later outsource—or vice versa. What matters is choosing the system that best fits your growth stage.

Always read your contracts. Never sign a payer agreement without understanding every clause, rate, and responsibility. Every business partner should be knowledgeable about what they’re agreeing to.

Know your minimum rates. Rate negotiation might not happen in your first contract, but understanding what you can’t afford to accept is vital to staying sustainable.

You can’t hand off full control. As April puts it, “Nobody will care about billing as much as you do.” Even if you delegate billing tasks, you need oversight and involvement to prevent problems.

Track patterns and denials. Billing data tells a story—watching for repeated denials or errors helps you catch process issues before they become expensive.

Clean billing builds value. When it comes time to sell your ABA business, well-organized, transparent billing records will give potential buyers confidence and increase your valuation.

Sponsored by Silna

This episode is sponsored by Silna, the first-ever Care Readiness Platform built specifically for ABA.

Silna automates prior authorizations, benefit checks, and insurance monitoring to ensure your patients are financially cleared for care before sessions begin. Operating in 45+ states and serving over 50,000 patients, Silna helps ABA providers save thousands of hours by verifying eligibility, tracking expiring authorizations, and using AI to complete and submit all ABA-related authorization types.

👉 Learn more about how Silna can help you spend more time with patients and less time on paperwork: https://3piesquared.com/business-affiliate/silna

Resources & Links

Stay ahead with practical insights from the ABA Business Leaders Podcast:

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

Wondering how to start an ABA business or how to know your ABA business is ready to scale? Take the free ABA Business Readiness Assessment:

👉 https://3piesquared.com/aba-business-readiness-assessment

Need straightforward ABA billing tips to keep your cash flow healthy? Grab the quick guide here:

👉 https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Billing_Tips

In this episode of the ABA Business Leaders Podcast, hosts Stephen and April Smith take it back to basics with a deep dive into one of the most overlooked but critical foundations of any ABA practice — policies and procedures.

From compliance and hiring to accountability and growth, Stephen and April break down why written policies aren’t just “paperwork,” but the structure that keeps your business legal, consistent, and scalable.

Whether you’re just getting started or refreshing an existing clinic, this episode is a must-listen for any ABA business owner serious about long-term success.

Key Takeaways

• Compliance isn’t optional. Follow your state’s laws and regulations — even if past employers didn’t.

• Policies help you hire better. Great staff want structure and clarity from day one.

• Get it out of your head. Your policies are the written version of your values and vision.

• Skip the AI shortcuts. Automated policies can miss crucial legal and ethical details.

• Follow through matters. Policies only work if you actually enforce them.

• Keep them alive. Review and update your policies monthly to stay current and consistent.

Sponsored by MarginKeepers

This episode is proudly sponsored by MarginKeepers — the go-to accounting and consulting team for ABA providers who want clean books, strong margins, and peace of mind.

👉 Learn more here: https://3piesquared.com/business-affiliate/MarginKeepers

Resources & Links

Stay ahead with practical insights from the ABA Business Leaders Podcast:

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

Wondering how to start an ABA business or how to know your ABA business is ready to scale? Take the free ABA Business Readiness Assessment:

👉 https://3piesquared.com/aba-business-readiness-assessment

Need straightforward ABA billing tips to keep your cash flow healthy? Grab the quick guide here:

👉 https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Billing_Tips

Get in Touch

Got a question or topic you’d love Stephen and April to cover? Call the ABA Business Leaders Hotline: (737) 330-1432

This week on the ABA Business Leaders Podcast, Stephen and April continue the Back to Basics series by tackling one of the most critical foundations for any ABA practice: operations agreements.

From legal safeguards to conflict resolution, they break down the agreements and systems that keep a business running smoothly — and why getting them right early can save you major headaches later.

🔍 Inside the Episode:

✅ Avoiding common mistakes – Stephen explains why a solid legal system is non-negotiable when drafting operations agreements. His tip: don’t rely on AI templates — use a trusted resource like LegalShield to protect yourself from costly missteps.

✅ Ownership and roles – April and Stephen share how easily things can get messy with multiple partners, and why defining roles and responsibilities at the start sets everyone up for success.

✅ Money, money, money – From who has access to who makes decisions, clearly defining financial roles keeps your practice secure and sustainable.

✅ Impartial financial mentors – Stephen emphasizes the importance of having an outside, impartial perspective when it comes to money.

✅ Hiring and firing – April and Stephen discuss how defining “quality” is key. Their method: brainstorm individually, then come together to compare and align your expectations.

✅ Roles and responsibilities – April highlights the value of a clear chart for employees so everyone knows who to turn to. These charts will evolve as your business grows, but they’re critical for clarity at every stage.

✅ Conflict resolution – From policies to personal growth, April emphasizes the importance of mental health support. Working with a therapist can make you a stronger communicator and leader when tensions rise.

💡 Whether you’re just launching your ABA practice or refining your systems as you grow, this episode will help you build operations agreements that protect your business, your people, and your peace of mind.

📌 Resources:

ABA Business Readiness Assessment – See where your business stands

Book a Consult with Stephen – Honest guidance from someone who gets it

📞 Want to get in touch via our hotline? Give us a call at (737) 330-1432!

Market Analysis for ABA Businesses: Back To Basics

This week on the ABA Business Leaders Podcast, Stephen and April continue the Back to Basics series with a practical deep dive into market analysis — one of the most important, and often misunderstood, steps in building an ABA company.

From cutting through the noise of 40-page reports to understanding what your competitors really charge, this episode is all about asking the right questions and applying lessons you can actually use.

💡 Whether you’re planning your very first clinic or refining your growth strategy, you’ll walk away with a sharper sense of how to analyze your market and use that knowledge to make better business decisions.

🔍 Inside the Episode:

✅ The job that keeps changing – Stephen explains how quickly your role evolves once you open your doors, and why setting clear boundaries on services and clients is essential.

✅ Five questions that matter – April breaks market analysis down to the basics: Who, What, Why, Where, and How. No lengthy reports required, just clarity on the right questions.

✅ What people say vs. what they do – Stephen shares a hard-earned lesson about the gap between verbal commitments and the real-world follow-through required when launching clinics or new services.

✅ Defining your own goals – April reminds us that not every business needs to scale to a multi-clinic model. Growth should be aligned with your personal goals, not someone else’s playbook.

✅ Setting rates with confidence – Stephen stresses that rates should rise, not fall, with private funders, and that knowing competitors’ pricing keeps you competitive.

✅ Collaboration as strategy – April highlights the increasing demand for BCBAs and ABA services, and why working with other providers can strengthen both your business and your community.

📌 Resources:

✅ ABA Business Readiness Assessment – See where your business stands

✅Book a Consult with Stephen – Honest guidance from someone who gets it

📞 Want to get in touch via our new hotline? Give us a call at (737) 330-1432!

🎧 Tune in, take notes, and put these fundamentals into action — your business will thank you for it.