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Scaling an ABA Practice in Today’s Workforce Climate
In this episode of Tim Talks: ABA Therapy, host Timothy Zercher sits down with Mordy Friedberg, Director of Operations at Best Buds ABA, to unpack the reality of building and scaling an ABA practice in today’s climate.
Mordy shares how he transitioned from long-term care into ABA, why workforce shortages are slowing down care, and how to grow without losing the personal touch that teams – and clients – deserve. From staffing challenges to the systems you should implement before you need them, this conversation is packed with practical insight for ABA leaders focused on scaling an ABA practice.
If you care about sustainable growth, culture, and keeping your people engaged, tune in. For leaders focused on scaling an ABA practice, this episode offers practical insights that support long-term success. And for organizations looking to turn that growth into stronger community connections, a strategic behavioral health marketing approach can help practices build trust with the families they serve.
The BCBA Shortage Is the Real Bottleneck in ABA Growth
In Nevada alone, roughly 10,000 children under 21 are diagnosed with autism, but only about 579 BCBAs are available to serve them, and RBT staffing is stretched even thinner. As Mordy Friedberg explains, this gap isn’t just a hiring inconvenience. It’s the single biggest constraint on how fast ABA practices can grow, since qualified clinicians are in demand everywhere and many eventually branch off to start their own agencies. For practice owners, this means workforce strategy isn’t a side conversation. It’s core to sustainable growth.
Scaling ABA Without Losing the “Mom-and-Pop” Feel
Growth in ABA often means more structure, more systems, and more layers of management, but Friedberg argues that doesn’t have to mean losing the personal touch that makes small practices special. His approach: build culture through managers who carry it forward, celebrate staff milestones, and invest in enterprise-level systems early so practices avoid painful, costly transitions down the road. It’s a practical reminder that operational maturity and genuine care for people aren’t mutually exclusive. They need to be built in tandem from day one.
Why Staff Appreciation Is a Retention Strategy, Not Just a Nice Gesture
RBTs and BCBAs are on the front lines of a child’s development, often working in isolating in-home settings where burnout is a constant risk. Friedberg’s closing advice to ABA providers is simple but often overlooked: your staff are the company. Beyond hiring for the right cultural fit, meaning people who genuinely want to collaborate with parents and teammates, ongoing appreciation and support directly impact whether clinicians stay in the field at all, especially given how competitive and emotionally demanding this work is.
About Our Guest: Mordy Friedberg
Mordy Friedberg is the Director of Operations at Best Buds ABA, bringing years of healthcare leadership experience to the autism services space. With a background in long-term care operations, Mordy transitioned to ABA to build more hopeful outcomes for kids and families. Based in Nevada, he’s passionate about scaling practices without sacrificing culture, supporting his team, and addressing the staffing challenges impacting ABA providers nationwide.
Visit the Best Buds ABA therapy website to learn more about Mordy and his mission.
Episode FAQ
1. How can ABA practices attract more BCBAs and RBTs in a competitive hiring market?
With staffing shortages affecting nearly every ABA provider, standing out to potential hires matters just as much as marketing to families. A strong employer brand, including a clear careers page, authentic team testimonials, and content that highlights company culture, can help practices compete for the small pool of qualified clinicians. A-Train Marketing helps ABA providers build recruitment-focused content and digital presence that speaks directly to what BCBAs and RBTs are looking for in a workplace.
How do ABA practices maintain a personal touch while scaling their business?
As ABA providers grow, families and staff often worry the practice will start to feel more corporate and less community-centered. Consistent messaging across a practice’s website, social media, and local listings can help preserve that personal connection even as the organization expands. A-Train Marketing works with growing ABA practices to keep their brand voice authentic and family-focused throughout every stage of growth.
What should parents look for when choosing an ABA provider?
Parents often search for signs of quality care, staff experience, and communication style when comparing ABA providers in their area. Clear, accessible website content that explains services, credentials, and what to expect from treatment can help build trust before a family ever picks up the phone. A-Train Marketing helps ABA practices create people-first, easy-to-understand content that answers the questions parents are actually searching for.
Why is staff retention important for the quality of ABA services families receive?
High staff turnover can disrupt the consistency and continuity of care that children with autism spectrum disorder rely on. Practices that prioritize staff appreciation and support tend to see stronger retention, which can translate to more stable care teams for families. A-Train Marketing helps ABA providers communicate their commitment to staff wellbeing, both to attract new talent and to reassure prospective clients about care continuity.
Episode Transcript
View the full transcript
(00:00)
Timothy Zercher: Thanks so much, Mordy, for jumping on and sharing your experience. We appreciate it.
First question: What drew you to the ABA space from broader healthcare operations?
(00:16)
Mordy Friedberg: I actually started in long-term care, nursing home industry. I was an AIT—Administrator in Training—getting my license. Over time, I moved into operations. My wife’s been a BCBA for 10 years, back when ABA was more mom-and-pop. Hearing her stories, seeing real progress with kids—it pulled me in. It’s more hopeful than the end-of-life care I came from.
(01:23)
Timothy Zercher: Makes complete sense. There’s more hope and excitement in ABA.
What have you learned about the unique operational challenges of running an ABA practice?
(01:40)
Mordy Friedberg: Cancellations—on the RBT or parent side—always impact the kid stuck in the middle. You can’t always swap someone in quickly. And then, staffing—it’s a massive challenge in ABA. In Nevada alone, 10,000 kids under 21 diagnosed with ASD, but only around 579 BCBAs. There’s a real gap, and it’s even worse for RBTs.
(03:57)
Timothy Zercher: Yeah, I hear that across the country.
You’ve worked on both startup and established sides—how do you balance growth with keeping it personal, especially with hiring and management?
(04:25)
Mordy Friedberg: I call it corporate vs. mom-and-pop. Growth means structure, but keep personalization alive through your people. Let managers carry that culture. Celebrate milestones, send birthday cards—show them they’re not just numbers.
On operations—plan ahead. If you know you’ll need a system, implement it early. I picked enterprise software off the bat to avoid costly transitions later.
(05:51)
Timothy Zercher: That avoids retraining and saves time. There’s even a book on that called Built to Grow. Makes total sense.
(06:25)
How fast are you growing these days?
(06:34)
Mordy Friedberg: I’m new to ABA, but growth is happening. The real limitation is staffing. Everyone’s competing for the same BCBAs, and many already run their own agencies.
(07:03)
Timothy Zercher: With that demand, how do you ensure new hires are the right cultural and quality fit?
(07:28)
Mordy Friedberg: I look for a team mindset and positive attitude. They need to collaborate—with parents, directors, teammates. Personality fit is key. Most people in ABA are here because they care. It’s not a job you fall into casually.
(08:51)
Timothy Zercher: Makes sense. Last question—what’s one operational tip or lesson you think ABA providers should hear?
(09:03)
Mordy Friedberg: Your staff are the company. Especially in ABA—they’re on the front lines with kiddos, making change happen. Appreciate them, support them—they’re the rockstars shaping the next generation. Burnout is real, especially with in-home services being isolating. But feeling appreciated makes a huge difference.
(10:55)
Timothy Zercher: Absolutely. If it were easy, there’d be more BCBAs and RBTs. Thank you so much, Mordy—great conversation.
(11:01)
Mordy Friedberg: Thanks so much, appreciate the opportunity.
