Back to Basics: One Decision That Moved the Business Forward

Posted 2 months ago      Author: 3 Pie Squared Marketing Team

Meet Our Guest

Alecia Barrett, BCBA

Jennifer Helten

Brooke Schneider M.S.Ed., BCBA

Mallory Stinger, BCBA

Back to Basics: One Decision That Moved the Business Forward

Most ABA business owners don’t stall because they lack knowledge. They stall because the next decision feels uncomfortable.

In this episode of the ABA Business Leaders Podcast , April Smith, co-founder of 3 Pie Squared, hosts a panel of experienced ABA founders to explore the leadership choices that actually move a business forward—often before you’re ready.

Featuring insights from Alecia Barrett, BCBA, COBA, LSW; Brooke Schneider, BCBA; Mallory Stinger, BCBA; and Jennifer Helten, the conversation centers on one core question:

What single move can an ABA owner make to create...

real momentum?

Growth Rarely Waits for Readiness

A consistent theme across the discussion is that most owners are never fully prepared for the next stage of growth. Whether it’s hiring support staff, delegating clinical leadership, or stepping back from day-to-day decisions, waiting for certainty often delays progress.

Micromanagement Becomes a Bottleneck

What starts as quality control can quietly limit scale. As practices grow, micromanagement reduces team autonomy, slows decision-making, and keeps owners trapped in the business.

Letting go doesn’t mean lowering standards. It means building systems and leaders who can uphold them without constant oversight. Brooke shares a powerful anecdote that touches on this shift.

Choosing Your “Hard”

Every ABA business owner faces trade-offs:

  • Delegating versus doing everything yourself
  • Training staff versus replacing them
  • Building infrastructure versus reacting to problems

Mallory reinforces a simple truth: growth requires choosing your “hard” intentionally. Avoiding short-term discomfort often creates long-term instability.

Delegation Drives Scale

From hiring a scheduler to empowering BCBAs, progress accelerates when owners focus their time where it truly matters. Delegation is a skill—and one that is often accompanied by a feeling of mourning.

Mourning your old role, your old responsibilities, and your old self.

The businesses that scale are not the ones doing more, but the ones deciding more clearly.

One Decision Can Change Everything

Each panelist shares a different inflection point, but the takeaway is universal: momentum comes from decisive action.

One clear decision can shift the entire trajectory of an ABA practice and set you firmly on the path to success.

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

Join our ABA Business Owner Support Group for free: https://forms.office.com/r/cigPR8wFFC

Resources