We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Kiona Autry a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Kiona, appreciate you joining us today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?
My company provides early interventions services with a huge focus on applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapy services.
My mission in establishing my ABA company is to revolutionize the landscape by putting clients and staff at the forefront. We aim to cultivate an environment where each and every client is seen as a unique individual, their needs and aspirations considered with utmost importance. Our focus extends beyond just the individuals, encompassing families and their experiences, ensuring they feel genuinely heard and supported throughout their journey. Central to our vision is the well-being of our staff, providing them with unwavering support, empowerment, and a sense of pride in the invaluable work they do. Our ultimate goal is to transform the prevalent negative perceptions surrounding ABA, ensuring that families depart with not just positive experiences but a renewed faith in the potential for positive change within this field.
I could not say that my entire experience in the field of ABA had been positive prior to creating my own organization. I felt stifled in what I could do for clients at times; saddened by the parents’ displeasure, unsupported and blocked in progressing as a provider; and frustrated that the negative experiences felt like the norm. And I was not alone. Simply put, it was imperative to create a place where a parent would know their child was seen and treated as an individual; the parent was part of the team and felt heard; clients looked forward to coming to therapy; staff felt valued, supported and excited to come to work; and we were adding positive contributions to our field.
Between my innate advocacy for my clients, championing my clients’ needs, commitment to creating a nurturing environment, and fostering a comfortable space where parents felt free to openly express themselves, I paved the way for genuine connections and understanding. Similarly, encouraging staff to voice their concerns and maintaining a culture of transparency cultivated an atmosphere of trust and collaboration. Through these experiences, I “heard” those speaking to me and solidified my “why” in founding my mission-centered ABA company—where empathy, grace, compassion, open communication, and transparency form the cornerstone of support and progress for both clients and staff alike.
Kiona, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I am a board certified behavior analyst (BCBA), licensed behavior analyst (LBA) and infant toddler family specialist (ITFS) with over 20 years of working with individuals with various developmental and neurological disorders. Currently, I provide play-based early intervention therapeutic services to include applied behavior analysis (ABA) and community-based rehabilitative services (CBRS) through my organization, Autry Behavioral Consultants & Resources. We mostly work with autistic children and young children with other developmental disorders.
I began working with individuals with various physical, developmental, neurological and psychological disorders my freshman year in college strictly as a job. Within weeks, I realized I had a natural skillset working with children and young adults in therapeutic settings thus beginning my journey. I would go on to hold a multitude of positions such as respite care provider, direct care service provider, habilitation technician, qualified professional, etc. providing a variety of community-based and intensive in-home therapeutic services to individuals ages 1-22 for a number of years before trying my hand at other professions to include disability determination specialist, realtor, and life. insurance agent to name a few. Fast forward several years and several life changes, I found myself relocating back to my hometown of Fayetteville, NC with my spouse and young children. I also had hit what I have termed a “mid-career” crisis and desired a change. By this time, I had also earned my Master’s in Business Administration. I wanted my own business but also missed working with children. Having no clear direction, I began to apply for related jobs. I had never heard of ABA before but felt I was well-qualified based on my experience. During one interview, the interviewer asked “why are you not a BCBA?” and proceeded to explain what a BCBA was. I left that interview and immediately enrolled in my second graduate program.
The journey from start to finish was not one free of challenges but it led me to where I am at today. I went the route of working as a registered behavior technician working directly with autistic individuals transitioning to a Qualified Autism Service Practitioner-Supervisor (QASP-S) before becoming a BCBA. By trade, a BCBA studies behaviors, analyze how they can make change or teach a skill, create a plan to implement, and repeats to drive positive outcomes. I took note of the unnecessary challenges, fleeting support from employers, blatant “no’s”, positive changes, encouragement from families I worked with, smiles from the clients, and internal desire to create a sustained positive and supportive environment and decided early on that I would create my own organization.
Before I opened Autry Behavioral Consultants & Resources, I worked as a BCBA in a typical manner, as a research BCBA, and developed multiple ABA programs for other organizations. My role as the research BCBA afforded me the opportunity to witness an organization that embodied a mission-focused mentality lending that last push I needed to venture out on my own.
In completing my first year in business, I am beyond proud of what we have been able to achieve thus far. I went in telling myself, I would be the change in our area. I am going to create an organization that sets the bar for valuing your employees, serving the clients with grace and compassion, and developing a supportive culture. And based on the feedback of clients, providers, employees, and community observers, we are achieving our goals. I am most proud to receive an unsolicited, unexpected reaffirming attestation. I want people to say “They are doing it the right way.” over at Autry Behavioral Consultants & Resources.
How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?
When I began organizing my business, I was still employed as a full-time BCBA for a different organization. My plan included renting an office space, purchasing needed materials, and employing at least one person early immediately. I calculated an estimate of the costs. Additionally, I did some research into how our funders paid out. I created a list of tasks I could tackle vs. those I would have to pay for. I was given the suggestion from industry-related business owners to have at least 3 months of expenses. Because I was still working, I took a portion of my earnings and began saving. I start taking on clients before ending my employment. I also worked in my business directly and continuously invested back into the business as I went along. Thankfully, I had a few people donate clinic-related items as well.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
This journey starting my ABA company has been a challenge. I know how to work with children and young adults confidently. I had to figure out the business aspect from scratch and I was determined to learn how to do all the necessary components. This included but not limited to credentialing, contracting under different payors, billing, payroll, marketing, creating KPIs, creating policies, HR compliance, and so on. Some of the strategies I employed included basic Google research, reading manuals. & policy handbooks, taking specific trainings, trial and error, calling the related customer service department, investing in a business mentor, and asking fellow business owners.
Early on in the process, I reached out to several business owners about a specific credentialing process. I was disappointed in the vague responses. First lesson in gatekeeping. I had spent hours trying to research the issue independently and with the respective customer service department to no avail. I recall feeling defeated and questioning my decision to start the business. I shifted my focus to another task temporary then revisited the topic. The second time around, I stated to myself, “There is only plan A. You got this, Kiona!” I’ve kept that as my mantra. I have taught myself how to do most of the tasks needed to get my business fully operating. In addition to shaping how I push through business challenges, I made a promise that I would help out others instating of gatekeeping.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.autrybcr.com
- Instagram: Autry_behavioral_consultants
- Facebook: Autry Behavioral Consultants & Resources
Image Credits
Leah’s Wildflower Studio