NKBA’s VFTI Conference at KBIS 2026 in Orlando will present a slate of sessions in seven learning tracks designed to help enhance business, design, technical, and marketing skills.
By NKBA Staff
NKBA’s highly regarded Voices From the Industry Conference at KBIS is among the can’t-miss events during the annual three-day expo, Feb. 17 to 19 in Orlando, FL. This professional development series offers compelling sessions that will build awareness and skills in seven learning tracks.
The VFTI Conference is generously sponsored by Fabuwood.
Subject Matter Experts will share their expertise in categories including Building & Remodeling, Leadership & Management, Design, Kitchen & Bath Trends, Marketing, Sustainability, and Technology. KBIS attendees may purchase a package including the Expo pass plus a conference pass for all on-site VFTI presentations and unlimited access to on-demand sessions throughout 2026. Topics range from learning about the daunting new world of AI and social media marketing to integrating technology, universal design, and sustainability into projects, client management to hiring strategies, and design tips to trending products. All sessions are CEU-qualified, earning 0.1 CEU credit for each hour of instruction, either on-site or on-demand.
New for KBIS 2026, there will be Wine & Design panel discussions from 3 to 4 pm each day, featuring SMEs delving into three topics:
• From Ruin to Renewal: The Role of Design After Disaster (Tuesday).
• Inclusive by Design: Creating Spaces for Diverse Needs and Life Stages (Wednesday).
• The Wellness Blueprint: Spaces that Nurture Body, Mind, and Spirit (Thursday).
Light bites and drinks will be served. These events are free and open to VFTI attendees, but advance registration is required as space is limited.
Here’s a closer look at the eight sessions in the Leadership & Management learning track.
Tuesday, Feb. 17
From Alone to Empowered: Growing a Profitable Design Business
Session: 0.1 CEU
Time: 9 – 10 am
Instructors: Ashleigh Schroeder, CKBD, Owner/Principal Designer, Nest Kitchen, Bath
& Home Design; Jamie McConnell, Owner, The Cabinet Nerd
Ability Level: Intermediate
Too many talented designers build their businesses in isolation, without contracts, pricing strategies, or support. In this honest and empowering session, two experienced pros share their stories and how they went from burnt out and overwhelmed to building successful, values-based design firms. They’ll reveal the practices that helped them move past imposter syndrome and into confident leadership. Attendees will learn the five most important lessons they wish they had known earlier, from setting up repeatable processes to establishing profitable pricing and healthy client boundaries. Finally, an interactive exercise using an “Imposter Syndrome Bingo Card” will help attendees identify internal roadblocks and replace them with affirming beliefs and actionable steps.
Never Chase a Check: Reframing Payment Culture
Workshop: 0.15 CEUs
Instructor: Anna Popov, Principal, Interiors by Popov
Ability Level: Intermediate
Money conversations shouldn’t be awkward, and getting paid shouldn’t be harder than doing the actual work. Yet in many firms, chasing invoices, absorbing unpaid hours, and discussing retroactive fees are still commonplace. This workshop takes attendees inside a high-performing interior architecture studio to reveal a proactive payment system that supports steady cash flow, prevents scope creep, and fosters client trust. Participants will walk away with client-ready billing tools, time-logging strategies to boost profitability, professional communication scripts, and the confidence to lead projects with clear boundaries. No matter the billing model, this workshop equips attendees to stop chasing checks and start steering projects with clarity and control.
Skill Building for Success: Life-Long Professional Growth
Session: 0.1 CEU
Time: 12:30 – 1:30 pm
Instructors: Sarah Cravy, Assistant Professor, Cañada College; Anjana
Joshi, Assistant Professor, Cañada College
Ability Level: Advanced
Continuous professional learning and development have become key in our fast-paced society. Professors Sarah Cravy and Anjana Joshi of Cañada College, winners of this year’s NKBA Excellence in Education Award, craft a continuing education plan to keep your team at its peak. Discover the foundational skills your staff should learn and how to help them build on those skills. Apply the principles of adult learning to craft a thoughtful talent development plan, illustrated with real-life cases of successful career-long learning programs. Attendees will leave with a fresh outlook on professional learning and actionable plans for keeping up with today’s market skills.
Wednesday, Feb. 18
Perfect Partners: Building the Best Team to Deliver Remarkable Results
Session: 0.1 CEU
Time: 10:30 – 11:30 am
Instructor: Andrew Risinger, CMKBD, Co-Owner,
Sales and Design, Kitchen, Bath & Home
Ability Level: Beginner
Success in the kitchen and bath industry depends on the strength of your team. In this session, learn how to build a trusted team of co-workers, designers, material specialists, project managers, and labor providers — internally and through outside partnerships — to deliver consistent, outstanding results. See how sales, production, and administrative teams can foster collaboration and avoid conflict. Attendees will learn to identify external partners who align with their vision through clear communication, shared expectations, and a commitment to exceptional service. By building the right partnerships, you’ll discover how people — not just products or processes — are key to delivering exceptional results.
Digital Wellness at Work: Finding Focus and Balance in a Fast-Moving Industry
Session: 0.1 CEU
Time: 12:30 – 1:30 pm
Instructors: Joel Epstein, CEO; Moses Brach, Head of A&D Partnerships;
Peri Friedman, COO; David Luria, Director of Sales Operations; Martin Fischman,
Director of Quality Control, all of Fabuwood
Ability Level: Beginner
Technology helps us move faster, but speed without intention can lead to disconnection and distraction. In this session, leaders from leading cabinet manufacturer Fabuwood explore how digital wellness can power productivity at work and at home. Drawing from Fabuwood’s InFocus initiative, this interactive panel shares real-world strategies for reducing digital noise, setting boundaries, and creating space for focus and balance without slowing down. From the production floor to the front office, attendees will gain tools and tips to encourage more mindful tech habits, boost team engagement, and help employees show up at 100 percent, 100 percent of the time.
Thursday, Feb. 19
The 10 Non-Negotiables of Successful Design Firms
Session: 0.1 CEU
Time: 9 – 10 am
Instructor: LuAnn Nigara
Ability Level: Intermediate
What sets successful design firms apart? It’s not luck; it’s the non-negotiable actions and decisions they make every day. In this fast-paced session, LuAnn Nigara shares the 10 non-negotiables she’s uncovered through more than 1,400 interviews with the most profitable and respected design, build, and K&B professionals. From mission clarity and operational excellence to leadership mindset and client experience, learn what every successful firm does — without exception. This isn’t theory or generic advice. It’s a blueprint you can start applying immediately to strengthen your business, lead with confidence, and build a firm that lasts.
Unfiltered: A Workshop on Working with Real Clients
Workshop: 0.15 CEUs
Time: 10:30 am – 12 noon
Instructors: Mark Haddad, CMKBD, Founder + President,
Principal Interior Designer
Interiology Design Co.; Susan Cracraft, CMKBD VP + Technical Designer, Interiology Design Co.
Ability Level: Advanced
We’ve all had our share of clients we love and want to hang out with after a project is completed, and those who challenge us and make us shake our heads. In this workshop, attendees learn to identify various client personalities and discuss strategies to ensure optimal results. The presenters share tips and tricks through stories and photos from personal experiences. Participants will gain an understanding of the practical ways to successfully handle various clients, resulting in better experiences for all. Attendees will be invited to submit questions in advance.
Beautiful Work, Clear Boundaries: Mastering Client Management Through Contracts
Session: 0.1 CEU
Time: 12:30 am – 1:30 noon
Instructor: Terri Taylor, Owner, Interior Design Business Academy
Ability Level: Intermediate
This presentation teaches design professionals how to confidently manage client relationships using clearly defined contracts and boundary-setting strategies. Attendees will learn how to reduce project friction, eliminate scope creep, and avoid profit loss by implementing specific clauses in their Letters of Agreement. From meeting limits and decision deadlines to ghosting clauses and change-order fees, the session presents a comprehensive approach to protecting projects and professionalizing practices. Scripts and real-life scenarios help participants apply the tools with clarity and confidence. This session is not legal advice, though it does offer tested contract language and boundary-setting tools that can help strengthen the professional process.
