The Northeast Design Conference puts business education first, helping designers turn creativity into sustainable professional success.
Every successful design project begins with a vision, but building a successful design business requires far more than creativity. Behind every beautifully finished space are countless decisions about pricing, client relationships, operations, leadership, and long term growth. While many conferences celebrate design itself, few spend enough time teaching professionals how to build businesses that thrive. That is the opportunity the NorthEast Design Conference, known as NEDCON, hopes to seize as it prepares for its inaugural event.
More Than An Event, A New Standard For Design Education
The interior design industry has no shortage of conferences, yet many professionals leave those gatherings inspired but still searching for practical answers. Beautiful presentations may spark fresh ideas, but they rarely solve the day to day challenges of running a business.
NEDCON was founded by Jen Atkinson to bridge that gap. Rather than creating another trade show or product driven convention, she envisioned a focused educational gathering where every session delivers practical strategies that professionals can immediately put into action.
From pricing and profitability to artificial intelligence, networking, leadership, and business systems, the conference is built around the knowledge designers often wish they had learned earlier in their careers.
Education That Pays For Itself
Professional development should create lasting value, not simply fill a notebook with ideas. That belief shapes every decision behind NEDCON.
The conference was developed around a simple philosophy. Attendees should leave with strategies, relationships, and practical tools that generate far more value than the cost of admission.
Instead of measuring success by attendance alone, NEDCON measures success by what participants are able to accomplish after they return to their businesses. Better systems, stronger client relationships, improved profitability, and greater confidence are the outcomes the conference seeks to support.
“NEDCON was founded because our industry deserves more than inspiration alone. Designers need practical knowledge, meaningful connections, and proven business strategies that create lasting growth. NEDCON was built to bring together the brightest minds in design, construction, and entrepreneurship so attendees leave with tools they can immediately put to work in their businesses,” says founder Jen Atkinson.
Where Conversations Become Opportunities
One of the defining features of NEDCON is its intentionally intimate format. Attendance is limited to only 100 participants, creating an environment where meaningful conversations can happen naturally.
Rather than navigating massive convention halls, attendees will have opportunities to interact directly with speakers, experienced professionals, and fellow business owners who understand the realities of the design industry. Those conversations often become the source of future collaborations, referrals, partnerships, and lasting professional friendships.
This emphasis on community reflects another important part of NEDCON’s mission. The conference is designed to elevate professionals at every stage of their careers through collaboration instead of competition.
The conference boasts a powerhouse lineup of speakers including Laurie Laizure, the founder and managing director of Interior Design Community, the largest interior design community in the world; award-winning luxury interior designer Nikki Levy; London-based interior designer and keynote speaker Alexandria Dauley; design industry leader and KBB Person of the Year for 2025, Sharon Sherman; New York–based designer and “king of staging”, Jason Saft; renowned Texas-based builder-designer Erin Stetzer; award-winning designer Beth Diana Smith, and many more.
A Fresh Voice For A Changing Industry
Interior design continues to evolve as technology, consumer expectations, and business practices change. Designers are expected to be creative professionals, entrepreneurs, marketers, negotiators, and business leaders all at once.
NEDCON embraces that reality by bringing together experts from design, construction, and entrepreneurship who understand the broader challenges facing today’s creative businesses. The result is an educational experience that speaks not only to artistic excellence but also to sustainable business growth.
Although this is the conference’s first year, its focused mission and carefully curated programming are already generating interest from well known names throughout the industry. That early momentum reflects a growing demand for educational experiences that prioritize practical outcomes over promotional exhibits.
Discover What Comes After Inspiration
For interior designers ready to strengthen every part of their business, NEDCON offers more than another conference. It offers an opportunity to learn practical strategies, build meaningful professional relationships, and gain knowledge that continues creating value long after the event concludes.
Learn more about the conference, explore event details, and reserve a place by visiting northeast design conference 2026. Follow the latest announcements and updates on Instagram.
For additional information, contact the NEDCON team at info@nedconference.com.
