Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Zuniga.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
It all started my sophomore year of college. I was trying to decide what to do with my life, and was fortunate to volunteer with the Special Olympics at the University of Kansas. After spending a day with these athletes, I knew that I wanted to work with kids with special needs. I received my Bachelor’s Degree from KU, and then my Master’s Degree in Behavior Analysis from the University of North Texas.
I have worked with kids with autism for fifteen years, and am also a certified teacher. I taught various grade levels for four and a half years before I was offered a position at a therapy center for children with autism. After working there for three years, my husband, Joel, and I decided to open a center of our own in Wylie. We saw our first client on May 1, 2015. We currently serve over 25 children with autism ages 2-9 at our center.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
What’s the saying, “Nothing that’s worthwhile is ever easy????” When we started our business, we weren’t sure if the interest level or market in Wylie was enough to sustain an ABA therapy center. It was difficult to know where and how much to advertise because our services were so specialized. The first six months were very high stress while we tried to establish ourselves as a business. Once word started spreading in the autism community, the stress moved to making sure we hired great people to provide ABA therapy to our clients. There are so many different tasks to focus on as a business owner, and it seems when one is running smoothly, another fire starts in a different area. I wouldn’t trade it for the world though!
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Beyond The Behavior – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
Beyond The Behavior is a therapy center for children with autism. We provide high-quality ABA (Applied Behavior Analysis) therapy to children with autism and other disabilities aged 2-9. We focus on providing a fun learning environment to our clients, so that they don’t really know that they are working! You will often see kids and staff dressed up in costumes running through the center, playing games, jumping on the trampoline, and working on skills in a more natural environment.
The staff members that we have make Beyond The Behavior what it is. One of my goals when starting the company was to hire great, high quality people who really cared about making a difference in kids’ lives. They know how to get the best out of their clients, and how to laugh and have a good time as well. All of our staff members are Registered Behavior Technicians, and most have either a Bachelor’s Degree or a Master’s Degree.
I am most proud of the progress that each child makes. We have taught kids to communicate, to learn how to follow directions and interact with peers, to brush their teeth and to eat new foods, just to name a few! It’s such a great feeling to know the difference we are making in the lives of these children and their families.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
Our number one goal is to keep providing the highest quality of therapy that we can to children with autism. With the success of our center in Wylie, we are exploring the possibility of expanding to a second location. There are so many children with autism that would benefit from ABA therapy, and we would love to be able to help more kids.
Contact Info:
- Address: 611 S. Hwy 78,
Ste. 123, Wylie, TX 75098 - Website: www.beyondthebehavior.com
- Phone: 972-429-5700
- Email: jessica@beyondthebehavior.com
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/beyondthebehavior
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