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