On a journey that took her from apparel retail to remodeling, this sales and design pro is among a handful of NKBA members to earn all eight NKBA Specialty Badges.

By Dianne M. Pogoda

Emily Duffner always thought she would pursue a career in fashion, and she did — but now it’s fashion for kitchens and baths.

The 11-year veteran at Ceramic Tile Sales (CTS) in Bethel Park, PA, who specializes in design and sales, started out designing for an apparel retailer while in college. Ultimately, she rose to a management position. “My goal then was to remain in the fashion industry,” she related. “While I loved working in fashion, the hours were hard, and I was given the opportunity to work part-time at CTS to see if I liked creating with building material instead of clothes.”

She wasn’t totally new to the home industry, however. Her father was in the carpet business, and she worked for him growing up. So, with her familiarity in floor coverings, she got into CTS initially selling tile. The company grew and expanded from tile sales and installation to kitchen and bath design as well.

And as the tile showroom evolved, so did Duffner, who is now senior designer and general manager of operations. She’s also one of just six NKBA members to earn all eight Specialty Badges, and she chatted with NKBA about her career trajectory and professional development.

What is your area of expertise at CTS?

My specific role is design and sales, but it has evolved and changed over 10+ years at CTS. I started as a part-time sales associate, became full-time after six months, and fell in love with design and construction. Since then, I have become a designer not only for CTS but for many kitchen and bathroom operations without an in-house designer. We are unique at CTS in the sense that we deal with homeowners, designers, contractors, and customers of our own. We pride ourselves not only on design but how a product will be installed and what are the best products to use to ensure functionality and longevity. We have our own installation crews that I manage, which helps me understand design and its limitations even more from an installation standpoint. The owner of the company was very supportive and encouraging of me getting my badges. CTS pays for any continuing education in the kitchen and bath field.

What do you like most about your job, and where do you find inspiration?

I like that every day you are meeting and helping new people. You never know what you will be designing or what problems you will have to overcome. I draw most of my inspiration from the customers themselves. Listening and understanding a customer’s wants, feelings, or ideas helps me design a uniquely personalized space. I also gain inspiration from seeing the space that will be redone.  

Why did you go for all eight badges? Which were the easiest and the toughest for you to earn, and which is most useful to you?

I decided that if I was going to do one, I should do them all! The easiest badge for me to complete was Remodeling because the questions were things that I deal with on a day-to-day basis. The hardest was Cabinetry because there was a lot of terminology to learn. While it was the most challenging for me, I also learned the most when preparing for that badge.

The most useful for me is a tie between Remodeling and Sales & Marketing. Every day, we go through the processes of the Remodeling badge with the jobs for which we act as the general contractor. But even if people aren’t using CTS as their GC, we still help homeowners understand the processes involved in their projects. Sales & Marketing is what we do anytime someone walks through our front door.

What advice do you have for anyone else thinking about earning all the badges?

It’s never a bad idea to gain or refresh your knowledge. Going through all of the badges taught me some new things, but also reiterated things I already knew. Regardless, I finished the badges knowing more than when I started.

What’s next for you professionally?

I just recently took the next step professionally by accepting the general manager position, but I’m always looking for a new challenge and opportunity. While I am very happy where I currently am, you never know when an opportunity will present itself. I make sure to remind myself to not get in my own way!

Just 34 NKBA | KBIS members have earned six or more Specialty Badges, with an elite six members earning all eight. Current badges include Floor Plans & Specifications, Lighting, Cabinetry, Sales & Marketing, Sustainability, Remodeling, Universal Design, and Color. Badges cost $199 apiece for the study materials and testing, and NKBA periodically offers special promotions that give members discounts. For more information about the badges, visit NKBA.org.

The sales and design specialist at Ceramic Tile Sales in western Pennsylvania is among a handful of NKBA members to earn all eight NKBA Specialty Badges.

By Dianne M. Pogoda

Mady Condie merged her interest in health with a passion for interior design and has carved out a career as a sales and design pro at Ceramic Tile Sales in Bethel Park, PA. She’s also one of just six NKBA members to have earned all eight Specialty Badges, and she did it all within six months.

To learn more about NKBA | KBIS Specialty Badges, click here.

While she did not go to school for a career in design or sales, she said her training and certifications in nutrition and health coaching have been of great value in her current role.

“These have helped with knowing that every single person has unique tastes, wants and needs and that it is your job to execute a balance of those so that the client is satisfied with the overall outcome of the project,” she said.

Condie, a member of NKBA’s Pittsburgh Tri-State Chapter, has been with CTS for about a year-and-a-half. “I’ve always had an interest and a passion for interior design,” she noted. “I knew some people in the industry and was offered a position in sales and design, with the opportunity to learn and grow. I have immensely enjoyed working in this industry and I am excited to gain more experience in the future.

In her downtime, Condie loves reading, hiking and cooking — which no doubt helps when she’s designing kitchen spaces.

She spoke with NKBA about her career and her motivation in earning all eight badges.

What is your area of expertise and your specific role at CTS?

My area of expertise is in both sales and design, and I am one of two designers here at CTS. We deal directly with many contractors, as well as homeowners, and other designers. A lot of my past work experience has been in customer service, which still plays a large part of my day-to-day role at CTS.

What drove you to earn all eight badges, which ones were easiest and toughest to earn, and which is most useful?

I wanted my knowledge around design to be as comprehensive as possible and I felt the badges were the best way to accomplish that.

The easiest badge for me to earn was Sales & Marketing. As someone who has worked in many customer-service/front-of-house positions, I feel like much of the information — while helpful — is common sense.

The toughest one to earn was Cabinetry, because there was so much information and vocabulary. Although it was the toughest, I have implemented so much of this knowledge into my job, which has been extremely helpful.

It’s very difficult to choose which is most useful, because they are all extremely helpful, but I use the information in Floor Plans & Specifications the most.

What advice do you have for anyone else thinking about earning all the badges?

Do it! I feel like I was able to learn so much beneficial information in a straightforward and accessible way. I also highly, highly recommend taking notes. There have been multiple instances where I have gone back to reference some of the information that I’ve learned throughout the Badge program.

What do you like most about your job?

I love being able to creatively problem solve! I also enjoy making the remodeling experience as fun and as easy as possible for our clients. It can be such an overwhelming task for some people to have to make so many decisions and it feels very rewarding to be able to direct people and mitigate the stress of having so many options. I also adore the people that I am surrounded by at work, which makes any job feel less like work!

Where do you draw inspiration from regarding designing with tile?

I think one of the best elements of designing is that you can draw inspiration from anywhere or anything. I get inspiration for each project from something new every time — whether it’s a specific color or just how the client wants to feel when they walk into their space.

Just 34 NKBA | KBIS members have earned six or more Specialty Badges, with an elite six members earning all eight. Current badges include Floor Plans & Specifications, Lighting, Cabinetry, Sales & Marketing, Sustainability, Remodeling, Universal Design and Color. Badges cost $199 apiece for the study materials and testing, and NKBA periodically offers special promotions that give members discounts. For more information about the badges, visit NKBA.org.

The NKBA | KBIS past president talks about the importance – even necessity – of K+B certification.

NKBA | KBIS recently asked John Petrie, CMKBD, CAPS, owner of Mother Hubbard’s Custom Cabinetry in Mechanicsburg, PA, to talk about why designers should take steps to be certified . The NKBA past-president discussed how certification gives credibility and a competitive advantage to a business as well as helping emerging designers gain a foothold in the industry and make them stand apart. 

Discover how certification can help make a difference in your career >

NKBA: Many young professionals wonder why they should do the work to become certified. And here, you earned your CMKBD by age 27.  What prompted you to go down this path and would you recommend other young professionals do the same or wait  until they are older?  

JP: I studied Architecture in college and soon after had the opportunity to come and work for my father, designing and remodeling kitchens and baths. It didn’t take long until I realized that my Architectural studies had prepared me for good general overall design, but NOT at all for the complex design and details of kitchens and baths. We were NKBA members and sought out further education through the Certification program. It was the best thing we could have done for ourselves and our clients.

NKBA: What, in your point-of-view, are the benefits of becoming a CMKBD and was it worth all of the effort you put into getting the top NKBA certification?

JP: YES, it was definitely worth the time and effort and I would do it again. I think the biggest benefit is the enhanced credibility and professionalism. My Certification provided my clients official recognition of my training and expertise. I felt that certification helped me stand out in a competitive market place. Other benefits include better job opportunities, higher earning potential, ongoing continued education, and confidence.

NKBA: How do you use your certification to market yourself?  And in what way do you see the impact of it on your day-to-day business?

JP: We market our certifications on our website, through social media and case studies on our website. All of our company brochures and our business cards have our appellations listed. I think more importantly when we are talking to our potential clients, we mention our certification and the fact that we are trained specifically for kitchen or bath design, and what ultimately that means to them as our client.

NKBA: What would you tell younger designers who are just starting out who say “I don’t have time to do all that work to be certified” or “ I don’t see any of those top design influencers with certification”. What advice would you give them? 

JP: Sadly I think it is common for younger designers to feel a sense of being overwhelmed with work to do (we are all busy) and finding time for education and certification, especially today when they perhaps see other designers who have not chosen certification. Certification is a significant investment in a designer’s future. It will help their career growth, their skill development in our ever-changing industry as well provide recognition especially for clients who place value on formal qualifications and education. I would strongly encourage them to stay the course and find the time. Achieving something worthwhile often requires effort, persistence, and resilience. Embracing the challenges of pursuing certification can lead to significant rewards.

NKBA: After all these years being a CMKBD, what do you think has been the most important aspect of being certified? 

JP: The most important, singular item has been credibility! It has lead to client confidence, providing trust and assurance to our clients.