By Diana Mosher

NKBA Manhattan Chapter’s premiere educational and networking event EDU DAY will take place on Thursday, October 8 at multiple showrooms across the A&D Building on East 58th Street. This year’s theme is The Business of Design and our EDU DAY committee—including event partner IDS New York City Chapter—has put together an excellent program. Don’t miss our line-up of dynamic speakers, business experts, and design rock stars! 

Registration will be free to NKBA and IDS members. Light bites and beverages will be served throughout the day. Here’s a quick look at some of what we have planned. 

10:30 AM - 3:00 PM 

Registration | Check-in | Membership Drive | Networking

Join us early at the True + Caliber Design Center on Floor 6 for a special champagne toast with Showroom Manager Wes Lind! Tour the space, see the latest products and catch up with colleagues and friends while enjoying breakfast bites and the coffee bar.

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM 

Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove, Floor 5, hosts "Legal Bootcamp: How to Write an Airtight Contract that Never Fails," with attorney Ramona Morgan of Morgan Business Counsel. Gain new insights on what to say and how to say it: avoid liability, get paid on time, avoid scope creep, get permission to photograph the project and more.

12:45 PM - 1:45 PM

Dacor, Floor 6, hosts a special keynote presentation, "Meet Your New Design Assistant: AI for Kitchen & Bath Pros," with AI expert Jessica Nelson of Etch Design Group and moderated by Pam McNally of Houzz. This dynamic session will explore how AI can streamline the design process, spark new ideas, visualize concepts, and help designers communicate more effectively with clients.

2:00 PM - 3:00 PM 

Miele, Floor 9, hosts "Booked by Design: How Top Kitchen & Bath Designers Keep Their Pipelines Full." Discover the secrets for staying booked without constantly chasing the next project. Moderated by IDS New York City President Brent Brake, and Jamie Keel, Residential A&D Market Representative at Cambria, a lineup of rockstar designers will share real-world strategies to attract ideal clients, avoid the feast-or-famine cycle and build a business that keeps growing. Panelists: Keith Baltimore of Baltimore Design Group, Kim Annick Mitchell of KAM DESIGN and Isabel Byrnes of Byrnes Design Studio NY.

3:15 PM - 4:15 PM 

Fisher & Paykel, Floor 3, hosts "Build It to Grow: The Blueprint for a Profitable, Scalable Design Firm." Michelle Lynne, founder of The Design Bakehouse, will explore systems, strategies and business decisions that define a successful design practice. Learn how profitable firms build efficient workflows, standardize processes, and leverage technology to deliver exceptional work without creating operational chaos. This session will be moderated by Brian Gallop, NKBA Manhattan Chapter Programs Chair, Business Relations Manager, GRAFF USA.

4:30 PM - 6:30 PM

Hastings, Floor 10, hosts "Cocktails with the Experts" | Experience Center | Raffles

NKBA Manhattan Chapter’s EDU DAY is all about learning, exchanging ideas, making new connections—and having fun! During our last session, we’ll raise a glass to celebrate all our speakers, volunteers and sponsors. Our closing cocktail party will also be a great time to chat with the EDU DAY experts to ask any additional questions. Visit with participating sponsors at the Experience Center. Stay until the end because we’ll be raffling off fabulous prizes too!

Register here for EDU DAY