We had the good fortune of connecting with Jovan Phillips and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jovan, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
I started in the field of applied behavior analysis (ABA) in 2007 as a behavior interventionist. The current credential for that role, a registered behavior technician (RBT), had not been established yet. In fact, my supervisors weren’t even board-certified behavior analysts (BCBA). They didn’t have to be at the time. So, I started off in the field’s earlier years and in a position that left a lot of room for me to grow and learn. That is exactly what I chose to do. I fell in love with the field of ABA and haven’t looked back since. Now as a board-certified and licensed behavior analyst, I offer the community ABA services backed by nearly 15 years of experience across age groups ranging from 18 months to 64-years of age, various diagnoses from autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to rare genetic disorders such as MEF2C and Syngap1, and across environments from home-based to day habilitation centers. Given my experiences over the years, when thinking about starting a business offering ABA services, I first thought about the needs of the populations that I serve and began thinking about what would be necessary to fulfill those needs. I thought about a practice that balances the needs of both its consumers and team members. When I thought of the values of The Outcomes Place -objective measures, functional care, access to care, and growth- I considered what actions would be key to ensure that those values are being fulfilled for families who are depending on us for high-quality care and people who are depending on us for a positive work experience. I lead my business planning with the understanding that the satisfaction of all stakeholders would be necessary for my practice to be a resource to the community as I intend for it to be. Further, to be that resource it was also imperative that The Outcomes Place be an ABA practice that prioritizes diversity and cultural proficiency. With Houston being this beautiful melting pot of different cultures, I don’t believe it would be wise to underestimate the influence of one’s culture or the importance of diversity on the outcomes of treatment.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
The Outcomes Place was born out of a desire to build an applied behavior analysis (ABA) practice that uses what we know about the environment and how it influences behavior to further disseminate the positive impact ABA can have on society while bearing in mind that there are still questions surrounding ABA as a treatment for autism spectrum disorder (ASD). To fulfill this desire, we’re committed to humanistic, person-centered care that focuses on the achievement of meaningful life outcomes for those we serve. These outcomes include improvements in areas such as language and communication, self-regulation and self-monitoring, flexibility (tolerating changes), social skills, and self-help skills.

To be humanistic in our approach means that we also acknowledge that there are autistic people who did not have the positive experience with ABA that we seek to provide for the families we serve. It is with their experiences in mind that The Outcomes Place commits to ongoing assessment of our policies and procedures to ensure we have an environment that promotes safety, transparency, collaboration, and cultural proficiency. We understand that this will also take a continuous evaluation of ourselves and our personal values, an honest understanding of how that affects the service we provide, and the education necessary to address our areas for growth. This is the journey in which all members of The Outcomes Place team will have to take, which is one of the things I am most proud of and excited about because the continuous growth of individual team members directly influences the growth of our clients. I believe that is what differentiates The Outcomes Place from others.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I must admit, I would be the worst tour guide in Houston. I am a shameless homebody, but I have encountered some great places in Houston. You must try breakfast at The Breakfast Klub in Midtown. For lunch or dinner hit up Lucille’s, Twisted Grilled Cheese, The Turkey Leg Hut, or Gatlin’s BBQ. I loved the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston’s presentation of the ‘Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power’. If that isn’t in town when you visit, then get your fix at Houston Museum of African American Culture, Project Row Houses, Bisong Art Gallery, Buffalo Soldiers Museum, or The Gite Gallery. Take your little ones by The Children’s Museum afterward. If you are a Northerner living in the South, such as myself, stop by Rita’s Italian Ice in the Heights for a taste of home. In Sugar Land, Los Gallitos Mexican Café serves up some great margaritas and their food is always good. While there, stop by Jupiter Pizza and Waffles Co. and Guru Burgers and Crepes.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My family has been an amazing source of love and support for me. I have been blessed with amazing friends and mentors whose continuous encouragement has gotten me through some difficult times while getting my business started. I know this may sound cliché, but she deserves a very specific shoutout. I am extremely grateful to God for my mother who has been my biggest supporter. She has bent and molded her life to make room for my path over the years and happily continues to do so as I take on entrepreneurship. There is absolutely no way I would have reached personal and professional milestones without her, let alone, having the opportunity to create a legacy of service to the community and business ownership for my two sons.

Website: www.outcomesplace.com

Instagram: @OutcomesPlace

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/outcomesplace

Facebook: @OutcomesPlace

Other: Psychology Today- https://www.psychologytoday.com/profile/910987

Image Credits
Oprah Stephens Photography

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