My Journey to ABA and Personal Finance
Sometimes, the most unexpected moments in life lead us to exactly where we’re meant to be. My journey to finding my passion in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) and personal finance wasn’t a straight path—it was full of twists, uncertainty, and a lot of trial and error. But looking back, every step (and misstep) got me to where I am today.
How It All Started
Way back in college, I had just had my heart broken by a boy I’d been "talking to" for a whole two months—which, at the time, felt like forever. I was devastated. That same day, my university was hosting a Special Olympics basketball tournament, and instead of staying in my dorm room crying, I decided to volunteer. I figured keeping busy would be better than wallowing in heartbreak.
That one decision changed my life.
From the moment I stepped into that gym, I was hooked. Seeing the athletes' joy, determination, and excitement made me fall in love with working with individuals with special needs. I kept coming back, and over the next two years, I became co-director of our university’s Special Olympics program. That experience sparked something in me—but at the time, I didn’t realize it would shape my entire career.
The Post-College Identity Crisis
Like a lot of 22-year-olds, I had no clue what I wanted to do after graduation. I jumped from job to job—six jobs in one year, to be exact. (And yes, that made doing taxes a complete nightmare.)
I worked in marketing, the music industry, and church ministry—all vastly different fields, but none of them felt quite right. At one point, while working at a church, I started a special needs ministry for adults. Instantly, I felt that same passion I had during Special Olympics. But unfortunately, that was only a small part of my job, and I wanted it to be everything.
Discovering ABA
I started googling “special needs jobs,” and that’s when I stumbled upon Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA). I had never heard of it before, but as soon as I started researching, I was fascinated.
I’ve always been interested in why people do the things they do. Why do we repeat some behaviors and avoid others? What drives us to make decisions? Behavior analysis answered those questions, and I knew this was something I wanted to pursue.
Within a single week, I made some major life decisions:
Quit my church job
Applied for grad school
Accepted a job as a behavior technician
It was a complete 180-degree turn, but it felt right. I worked as a behavior technician for two years, earned my master’s degree, completed my fieldwork hours, and passed my BCBA exam. By February 2020, I was officially a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA)—just in time for the world to shut down (thanks, COVID).
How a Divorce Led Me to Personal Finance
In 2021, life threw me another unexpected challenge—my divorce. Suddenly, I was completely on my own, financially and emotionally.
Up until that point, I had never really paid attention to personal finance. I didn’t grow up caring about money, and suddenly, I had to figure it all out myself—how to budget, save, invest, and make sure I was financially secure.
I went all in, devouring every book, podcast, and article I could find. And the more I learned, the more I saw parallels between ABA and personal finance. Money is behavior. The way we spend, save, and invest is based on our habits, reinforcement, and learned experiences. I realized I could combine both passions—using behavior science to help people take control of their finances.
Bridging ABA and Personal Finance
Now, I focus on teaching people how to understand their own financial behaviors. Why do we overspend? Why do we struggle to save? Why do we avoid investing? Behavioral principles can explain all of it.
Reinforcement matters → We’re more likely to keep good financial habits when we see positive results (like watching our savings grow).
Immediate vs. delayed gratification → Spending feels good now, but saving and investing help us build a better future.
Avoidance behaviors → People avoid finances because they feel overwhelmed, but that only makes things worse long-term.
Just like in ABA, small, consistent changes in behavior can lead to life-changing results.
If you had told college-aged me that one random heartbreak and a volunteer event would shape my entire career, I wouldn’t have believed you. But here I am—doing work I love, combining behavior science and financial education, and helping people change their lives.
If you’re struggling with money or feeling lost in your career, remember: your path doesn’t have to be linear. Sometimes, the most unexpected detours lead to exactly where you’re meant to be.
