How CMG Took Startup ABA From 0 to 40 Kids in Under 12 Months

Only 2 things matter in ABA therapy marketing: kids in service and cost per kiddo in service (and profit!).

We met this client at Edge, 2025. Here’s how we helped a startup ABA provider in a highly regulated Midwestern market go from zero kids to a repeatable growth engine.

They now predictably bring in about 20+ new assessments per month, well below their target cost (under $255 per kiddo)

How?

Through our profit-focused approach to Meta Ads, SEO, Google Ads, and CRM.

The Starting Point

Startup ABA provider. In-home and clinic model. 0 kids in service.

The company previously worked with:

• One SEO agency at $5,000+ per month
• One Google Ads agency at $2,000+ per month plus commission
• Total agency fees exceeded $7,000 per month, excluding ad spend.
• Results were minimal. Attribution was unclear.

CMG replaced both agencies with a single complete growth system, lowering agency fees, and reducing wasted ad spend.

Total marketing costs went down while outcomes went up.

They did not need more marketing.

They needed math, discipline, and a system built for startups.

The CMG Startup Growth System

There was no guessing.

We started with unit economics based on reimbursement knowledge.

• Net profit per kid per month: ~$1,500
• Average lifetime: 12 to 24 months

From this, we calculated a strict break-even acquisition threshold before spending a dollar.

Controlled test budgets were launched across Meta and Google Ads. SEO was ramped in parallel.

Early findings

• Google underperformed and was cut within the first testing cycle
• Meta significantly outperformed and was scaled
• SEO began producing closed kids

Google was reintroduced only after Meta and SEO were stable. At that point, Google began producing closed kids as low as $250.

The Results

• 40 Kids in Service
• $255 Cost per submitted authorization
• $63k Ad Spend
• $27k Service Fees

This was not a spike. It became a repeatable monthly run rate because of our system and strategy.

The Economics

Each kid generates about $4,300 monthly revenue and $1,500 net profit with a 12 to 24 month lifetime.

The first 40 kids represent approx. $720K in net profit at 12 months and up to $1.44M at 24 months, built on less than $100K in growth investment.

Why this Worked

Most agencies are channel dependent. They make money by keeping spend live. CMG is channel agnostic. We make money when clients get results.

Channels were cut when the math stopped working. Channels were scaled when the math worked. SEO compounded while paid media did the heavy lifting. Everything was tracked to real business outcomes. No emotion. No attachment. Just results.

The Takeaway

This is what a complete growth system for startups looks like. Profit math first. Controlled testing second. Scale only what works based on real business outcomes. Systems that talk to each other. Kids in service, not empty promises.