We recently connected with Ninette Howell and have shared our conversation below.

Ninette , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Coming up with the idea is so exciting, but then comes the hard part – executing. Too often the media ignores the execution part and goes from idea to success, skipping over the nitty, gritty details of executing in the early days. We think that’s a disservice both to the entrepreneurs who built something amazing as well as the public who isn’t getting a realistic picture of what it takes to succeed. So, we’d really appreciate if you could open up about your execution story – how did you go from idea to execution?

When I first envisioned opening my ABA practice in Hays County, I was driven by a deep awareness of the unmet needs in the area. Families were traveling long distances to access services or going without, which often meant children weren’t getting the early intervention they desperately needed. Recognizing the gap, I knew it was time to take action—and the journey from idea to execution became one of the most fulfilling challenges of my career.
In December 2022, I was approved the LLC for Shape Center and received my EIN number. In early 2023, I began researching the demographics and service availability in Hays County. I reached out to local pediatricians office and school administrators to better understand the landscape. The numbers confirmed what I suspected: while the population was growing rapidly, access to specialized services like ABA therapy had not kept pace. Parents were on waitlists for months or had to drive to neighboring cities. This feedback reinforced my resolve and gave me a clear mission—to bring accessible, high-quality ABA services to this underserved area.
By mid -2023, I began developing a comprehensive business plan. This included identifying estimating operational costs, and creating a budget for marketing and outreach. My initial goal was to focus on building relationships with local doctors, schools, and therapists, as they often serve as the first point of contact for families in need of ABA services. I allocated a significant portion of the budget to educational materials and meetings with these professionals to explain the benefits of ABA therapy and how it could positively impact their patients and students.
One of the most complex steps was getting credentialed with insurance companies. This process, which began in late 2022, required extensive documentation and patience. I opted out to hire a credential specialist to save on costs. It was particularly frustrating due to the lengthy 3-4 month timeline, which often felt like an uphill battle. Once I was credentialed with the insurance companies and received the fee schedule, I was ready to contact potential clients from the referrals I received from the pediatrician offices.
Summer of 2023, I focused on streamlining our intake process to ensure families felt supported from the moment they reached out. This included creating user-friendly forms, scheduling initial assessments, creating policies and handbooks.
The next steps I shifted focus to hiring and training staff. Finding the right people—those who were not only qualified but also shared my passion for supporting families—was a top priority. Our team started small with 3 Registered Behavior Technicians and 5 clients. Looking back, the journey from idea to execution required unwavering dedication, meticulous planning, and a strong support system.

Ninette , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

Hi, I’m Ninette Howell, owner and founder of Shape Center. Shape Center provides home – based and clinic – based ABA therapy to children ages 2 – 18 years old in the Hays county area.
Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) is a scientific approach to understanding and improving behavior. In simple terms, it involves identifying what motivates a child and using that to teach new skills and reduce behaviors that may interfere with learning. The benefits of ABA are profound; it helps children build communication, social, and life skills, enabling them to thrive in various environments.
In 2007, I began my journey in the field as a behavior technician in California. From the very first day, I fell in love with the work and the incredible clients I had the privilege to support. Watching children make progress—from learning to communicate to mastering everyday skills—ignited a passion in me that continues to this day. This experience inspired me to pursue further education and eventually become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA). My goal has always been to provide quality ABA services to children with autism and their families.

The proudest moment of my career came in August 2023 when I opened our ABA clinic in San Marcos. This clinic represents years of hard work, dedication, and a deep commitment to serving our community. It’s a place where families can feel supported, and children can grow and succeed. Our mission is to shape behaviors for life changing outcomes. We offer events such as Trunk or Treat, Pastries with parents, birthday celebrations for our clients, and many more. Shape Center incorporates fun theme days once a week such as wear Tie Dye shirts, Fall socks day, Disney – themed day, etc.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

There are multiple avenues to grow clientele in this business, I will list a few that I have tried:

1. Building strong relationships with local pediatricians and therapists. I provided pamphlets and business cards and spoke with pediatricians and nurses to inform about new ABA office in the area.

2. Targeting marketing – creating an Instagram and Linkedin page to reach families in the area.

3. Maintaining a professional and and informative website to illustrate what our services provide

4. Word of Mouth

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

My journey initially began with providing in-home ABA services. While these services offered the flexibility of working in a child’s natural environment, I soon realized the challenges and limitations. Coordinating sessions around family schedules was often difficult, and the distractions within the home environment sometimes made it harder for children to focus.
Transitioning to clinic-based ABA brought its own set of challenges. Setting up a facility, ensuring it met all regulatory and safety standards, and creating a welcoming, structured environment were significant undertakings. However, the benefits quickly became apparent. In a clinic setting, we could provide a more consistent, controlled environment tailored specifically to therapeutic goals. It also allowed us to work with children in small groups, fostering social interactions that weren’t always possible in-home.
The shift also meant adapting our approach to parent collaboration. While in-home sessions naturally involved parents, clinic-based services required us to be more intentional about keeping families engaged and informed.
Ultimately, the decision to pivot to clinic-based services has been incredibly rewarding. It has allowed us to serve more families, offer a wider range of therapeutic activities, and create a sense of community within our practice.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.shapecenteraba.com
• Instagram: shapecenteraba
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/