How the annual leadership conference made Casey Brand’s longtime dream come true
“I was just beside myself.”
That’s how Casey Brand felt when she was asked to speak at NKBA’s annual Women to Women Conference (W2W).
“I didn’t feel like I belonged on the panel,” remembers Casey, “And I didn’t even realize how many heavy hitters were on the stage until I got there!”
The keynote speaker turned out to be Alison Kenworthy of Homeworthy, the media platform dedicated to the people and stories behind the spaces we love.
As soon as Alison started talking, Casey was overcome by an overwhelming sense of excitement–and she realized that she was at W2W for a very good reason.
Casey, an avid traveler and runner, would make it a habit of going on a run in every destination she visited. As an interior designer, she would delight in seeing cities and suburbs “wake up” with the people setting up their shops, their sheds, and their stalls.
“For years I had been daydreaming about doing an ‘Anthony Bourdain style’ documentary on design. I wanted to bring a light to the artisans bringing beauty to the world around them. Hearing Alison talk gave me sea legs to think this show could be a reality.”
When Alison opened the floor for questions, she was bombarded. So Casey sat back and took it all in. Besides, she was extremely nervous about her own turn to speak.
“It was so humbling. I didn’t get my words out properly, and I was really beating myself up about how it all went down. I was over my head and didn’t feel like I had pulled my weight.”
After the event, Casey was in NYC for Corey Daymon Jenkins’ book signing. But she couldn’t stop thinking about Alison’s speech. So she tried to find her–first on LinkedIn, then Instagram.
“I distinctly remember standing in front of Applebees, where I was taking a picture as part of an inside joke I have with an old friend. I decided to message Alison right there and then.”
In the email, she told Alison she was “the one blubbering” at Women to Women and asked if they could meet for coffee.
“I obsessively kept refreshing my inbox after I sent the message, and within 10 minutes, Alison wrote back.”
Not only had Alison remembered Casey, but she suggested they Zoom the following Monday. Casey was blown away by Alison’s generosity. When they spoke, Alison said she was planning a Homeworthy episode at Round Top in Texas–where Casey calls home. A second Zoom followed, where Alison offered Casey her own show.
“My feet didn’t touch the ground for two weeks,” recalls Casey. Two weeks later, they were filming the first episode of “Brand on the Run”. Since then, the show has taken Casey as far as Spain and India.
And it all started at the annual NKBA Women to Women conference.
“I really want to express my gratitude to Kerrie Kelly and Bill Darcy at NKBA–and their genuine desire to watch people explode in the best possible way. And I am so grateful to Patty Dominguez–she and CNEXT are the whole reason I’ve met these people over the years.”
For those considering attending Women to Women 2026, Casey has this to say:
“It was such a beautiful celebration and genuine building up of women in business. There were designers who have been working in the industry for over 30 years, and there were also younger designers, and everybody walked away with the same message of unity and pride. The breakout sessions allowed people who might not have otherwise spoken out to really share their voice and opinion, and it was really special.”
“Brand on the Run” is currently in production. Catch Casey’s upcoming episodes here.
