ABA Business Leaders

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-startedABA 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 

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 

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 Grouphttps://forms.office.com/r/cigPR8wFFCBusiness 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 

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 

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 GroupSign 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_TipsABA Business Leaders Podcast CEUs https://3piesquared.com/productDetails/ABA_Business_Leaders_Podcast_CEUs