Meet Our Guest
Cortney Keene, MEd, CAS, VTLBA, BCBA
Chris Keene
How to Create Company Culture and Support Your ABA Practice Staff
Company culture in an ABA practice is not built overnight. It develops through everyday leadership decisions, especially as a business grows and evolves. In a recent episode of the ABA Business Leaders Podcast , Stephen and April Smith of 3 Pie Squared explore how ABA owners can intentionally shape culture while supporting staff in practical, sustainable ways.
Drawing on their experience building, scaling, and exiting a seven-figure ABA organization, Stephen and April share lessons for founders and established leaders alike.
Start Without Expecting Perfection
One of the most common...
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How to Grow Your Practice
mistakes new ABA owners make is believing everything must be in place from the beginning. Stephen emphasizes that leaders do not need to implement every system, policy, or cultural initiative on day one. Growth requires iteration. Culture, like the business itself, will change as the practice matures.
This mindset is especially important for analytical, goal-driven leaders who may struggle with ambiguity. Allowing space for refinement makes long-term success more attainable.
Establishing Your “Why” and Creating Alignment
Early alignment matters. Clearly defining why your practice exists and what it stands for helps guide decisions as your team grows. When leadership communicates purpose and expectations consistently, staff are better equipped to understand their role within the organization.
Alignment does not mean rigidity. It means having a clear foundation that can support thoughtful course correction when needed.
Course Correction Is a Leadership Skill
April highlights that course correcting is not a failure. It is a necessary leadership skill. As an ABA practice grows, systems, values, and even goals may need to evolve. Leaders who resist change often struggle to sustain their businesses.
Successful owners recognize when adjustments are needed and involve their teams in the process whenever possible.
Shaping Workplace Experiences in ABA
Joined by Cortney and Chris of Keene Perspectives , the conversation explores the responsibility ABA leaders have in shaping workplace experiences. For many RBTs, an ABA role may be their first professional job. This means leadership decisions influence how employees understand communication, boundaries, accountability, and professional expectations.
Transparency around values and consistency in leadership behavior play a critical role in building trust and stability across teams.
Hiring, Team Chemistry, and Retention
Hiring is not just about credentials. Structured interviews, standardized questions, and objective scoring rubrics help reduce bias while embedding company values into the process. Cortney and Chris discuss how strong teams are often greater than the sum of their parts, but misalignment in chemistry can negatively impact morale and retention.
Retention is closely tied to culture. When employees feel supported, understood, and aligned with leadership expectations, they are more likely to stay and grow with the organization.
Balancing Values With Business Realities
ABA leaders operate in a medical field, which means values-driven work must coexist with financial and operational realities. Stephen and April discuss the importance of making practical decisions that keep clinics open while staying connected to the mission. Values matter, but sustainability ensures those values can be upheld long term.
Have a Question for Stephen and April?
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