00:00 – Introduction

Tim Zercher:
 All right, Melissa, thank you so much for joining us. We really appreciate you taking time.

Melissa Kozak:
 Absolutely, I'm happy to be here. Thank you for inviting me.

00:06

Tim Zercher: So I always like to start off with hearing kind of how you got into the behavioral health space, the ABA space.

Melissa Kozak:
 Yeah, I think like many people in this field, I got here accidentally. I initially went on the school psychology track, and a classmate started telling me all about what she does and how she works with kids and how she plays all day. It sounded amazing, so I kind of stumbled into it.

Almost 20 years later, I'm still in this space. I've been fortunate to work across many environments—schools, homes, community settings—and even built a clinic from the ground up. When COVID hit, I also transitioned into telehealth work. Most recently, my path has taken me into the ABA technology space, which has been really fun and different.

01:10

Tim Zercher: Because of your experience across so many roles—working with families, clinicians, and startups—where do you find the biggest disconnect between how systems are built and how care is actually delivered?

Melissa Kozak:
 Care happens in the real world. Sometimes technology platforms are built with great intentions, but they’re difficult to use in real situations.

For example, I work closely with a nonprofit supporting families living in shelters or even their cars. These assessments are delicate conversations. If I’m sitting there typing into a computer instead of engaging with the family, that’s not ideal.

Technology should support clinicians in real environments—schools, homes, and sessions—not just in administrative settings. If a platform works across those environments, then it’s successful.

02:53

Tim Zercher:
 That reminds me of a story about a hospital system that spent hundreds of thousands of dollars researching improvements. A consultant came in and spoke with a nurse who simply said, “Make the buttons bigger.” She was wearing gloves, talking with patients, and couldn’t easily use the interface. Sometimes the simplest changes create the biggest improvements.

Melissa Kozak:
 Yes, absolutely. I recently partnered with the VB-MAPP team to give feedback on their app. Some of the recommendations were very simple things like simplifying the screen or reducing notifications.

When you’re conducting a direct assessment, there are already a lot of moving pieces. So making workflows simpler really matters. I do love that many tech companies are now reaching out directly to BCBAs for testing and feedback—that didn’t always happen before.

04:25

Tim Zercher: You spend a lot of time in the ABA technology space. What’s one thing practice owners should be cautious about right now, and one thing that’s really worth investing in?

Melissa Kozak:
 Anything that increases documentation burden is a red flag. Technology shouldn’t exist just for the sake of technology.

I’ve used platforms where I had to repeatedly copy and paste information across different sections. That just wastes time.

On the positive side, I love seeing platforms that support caregivers directly. Caregiver-mediated models are here to stay. Tools that help families collect data, support communication, or even transcribe parent sessions can be incredibly helpful.

For example, transcription tools that capture conversations between BCBAs and parents can make documentation much easier and more accurate.

06:46

Tim Zercher:
 I recently heard about a technology that passively takes notes and even monitors vocal cues like stress or pain based on tone and response time.

Melissa Kozak:
 That’s fascinating. AI can process patterns far faster than a human could in the moment. It’s really exciting to see how that might support clinicians.

07:53

Tim Zercher: Since we’re a marketing and advertising company in the ABA space, I have to ask—what are you doing right now to attract your best clients and partners outside of word-of-mouth?

Melissa Kozak:
 One major shift in the field is specialization. The days of doing everything are fading.

Some clinicians thrive working with young children, others with teens or adults. Some love schools, others prefer community work. When clinicians find their niche and build around it, they tend to grow more effectively.

For scaling organizations, I also believe in growing slowly and ethically. Start with your existing professional relationships—OTs, PTs, school psychologists. Those trusted networks are incredibly powerful.

09:29

Tim Zercher: What’s one marketing tactic you’re either watching closely or considering right now?

Melissa Kozak:
 One thing that concerns me is marketing that targets clinician burnout—essentially saying “You’re burned out, come work here.”

Instead, I prefer educational authority. Companies sponsoring CEUs, podcasts, or clinician-led content is incredibly valuable.

Using BCBAs as thought leaders at the top of the marketing funnel helps support clinicians while also building trust.

And finally, mission alignment matters. Look at companies that truly prioritize families and ethical care. Partnering with organizations that share those values is critical.

11:31 – Closing

Tim Zercher:
 That makes perfect sense—if you care about burnout, actually support clinicians rather than just recruiting them.

Melissa Kozak:
 Exactly.

Tim Zercher:
 Thank you so much for taking the time today and for the work you're doing across so many organizations.

Melissa Kozak:
 Absolutely. Thank you.