We recently had the chance to connect with Chris Packert and have shared our conversation below.
Chris, a huge thanks to you for investing the time to share your wisdom with those who are seeking it. We think it’s so important for us to share stories with our neighbors, friends and community because knowledge multiples when we share with each other. Let’s jump in: What do you think is misunderstood about your business?
The biggest misunderstanding is that people still think of Emerge ID as a “custom workforce development” shop that builds one-off trainings. That was our starting point, but we are currently in the process of rebranding into a full-service instructional design and eLearning development studio—a true one-stop shop for training and education.
Today, when a client comes to us, we don’t just produce a course. We handle the entire learning ecosystem: upfront needs analysis and learning strategy; experience design (curricula, storyboards, assessments); content and media production (video, graphics, interactivity, scenarios); SCORM/xAPI packaging; LMS setup/integration and learner journeys; accessibility and QA; and, evaluation with clear success metrics. Whether it’s onboarding, compliance, certifications, or academic programs, we architect the whole path from problem to performance.
Another misconception is that “instructional design” equals slides or talking-head videos. Our work is outcome-focused and evidence-based—providing eLearning courses, job aids, microlearning series, facilitator toolkits, and blended pathways that actually change behavior and is based upon the learning science elements of encoding, storage, and retrieval best practices.
We partner across sectors—corporate, higher ed, nonprofits, and sport organizations—so organizations get consistency, scalability, and measurable impact without juggling multiple vendors.
In short: workforce development is one use case we serve, not our identity. Emerge ID is where strategy, content, technology, and measurement live under one roof—So clients can move faster, teach better, and deliver proven results.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Chris Packert, founder of Emerge ID, an instructional design & eLearning development studio based in Colorado. I started Emerge ID years ago as a custom workforce-development shop, but my career across K-12, higher ed, and Olympic-sport organizations kept pulling me toward a bigger mission: building complete learning ecosystems that actually change behavior. That’s why we’ve rebranded as a one-stop shop for training and education—strategy → design → development → implementation → measurement—under one roof.
What makes us different is the blend of rigor and craft. We pair evidence-based learning science with a creative studio and the “plumbing” most teams don’t want to wrangle: LMS setup and integrations, SCORM/xAPI packaging, accessibility, QA, and dashboards that prove impact. Clients don’t have to juggle five vendors or guess if training worked—we design for outcomes, build engaging experiences (scenario-based, microlearning, toolkits), launch them cleanly, and track results.
My through-line is people. I’m a coach at heart, and my philosophy—“relentless incrementalism”—shows up in how we partner: small wins, stacked consistently, to deliver big change.
What we’re working on now:
A suite of micro-courses for instructional designers in our new Learning Academy.
Scalable LMS ecosystems for organizations building onboarding, compliance, and certification pathways.
Creative production of brand-aligned assets: graphics, videos, A/V interviews, motion animations, voiceover & sound design, and fully responsive eLearning courses (SCORM/xAPI) built in tools like Storyline, Rise, and Evolve.
Accessibility-first course templates and analytics playbooks so leaders can see learning’s ROI at a glance.
Emerge ID: Engage. Inspire. Transform. If you need end-to-end training that’s beautiful, accessible, and measurable, that’s our lane.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
To answer this question, I want to flip it on its head and talk about how to create strong bonds between people. Strong bonds form when we earn them—by listening first, reflecting on a client’s goals, and co-creating clear working agreements (scope, cadence, decision rights, and a shared definition of “done”). Our clients alway know the “why” behind our recommendations, where the project stands, and what we’ll deliver next. We make small, specific commitments and keep them consistently; we include the right stakeholders, design accessibly for every learner, and treat “good catches” as wins that improve the work.
Bonds break when assumptions replace understanding, timelines overpower quality, roles or scope are fuzzy, or follow-through slips. To prevent that, we surface risks early, document decisions, and measure progress against agreed outcomes. If we miss the mark, we own it, make a concrete repair (updated plan, revised deliverable, new safeguard), and move forward. That’s our operating system at Emerge ID—reliable, transparent, and inclusive partnerships that turn training goals into measurable results, one kept promise at a time.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering has taught me pace, humility, and how to keep moving when the goal feels far away. My son and I recently started climbing Colorado 14ers. The day starts at 3AM to give you enough time to finish the route before the afternoon storms kick in. At 13,000 feet, the air thins, storms build fast, and every false summit tests your head more than your legs. We learned to take twenty deliberate steps, breathe, check the sky, and repeat. Sometimes the smartest choice is to turn around and try again with better weather or a better plan. The success of the day isn’t just the summit photo; it’s the shared discipline, the small adjustments, and the trust you build one switchback at a time.
That is the “Relentless Incrementalism” that I infuse into Emerge ID. Big launches are built from small, kept promises: tight scopes, clear definitions of “done,” early prototypes, quick feedback loops, accessibility standards, and steady communication. When conditions change, we don’t push “summit fever.” We re-route, re-baseline, and keep the team aligned. The suffering moments like missed connections, tough feedback, schedule crunch teach us more than easy wins ever could: slow down, get curious, fix the problem, and take the next right step.
For clients, that means fewer surprises and a higher confidence. You’ll see visible progress every week, risks surfaced early, and a delivery cadence that trades heroics for momentum. Climbing the mountains with my son reminds me that meaningful outcomes come from consistent, human-sized steps. Plan. Design. Deliver. One careful foothold at a time.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Mostly, yes. What you see is what you get. I try to make the public version of me match the private one: same values, same voice, same standards. Authenticity for me is doing what I say I will do and not just talking about it. Transparency means you’ll always know where a project stands, what the trade-offs are, and what it will cost. If there’s bad news or a risk, I share it early and in plain language. My character and ethics show up in the small choices: crediting partners, creating psychologically safe spaces, suggesting alternative approaches when the request would create ineffective learning experiences, and fixing mistakes without excuses. Loyalty matters, too. I stick with clients beyond launch, I advocate for their learners as if they were my own, and I invest in long-term relationships rather than quick wins. I keep family life mostly private, but the same compass that guides me as a dad, husband, and a coach guides my work. In short, I aim for alignment with who I am on a call, in a proposal, or spending time with my family. If I ever fall short, I own it, make it right, and keep moving forward.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I’d like my story to read like a well-marked trail: steady climbs, good company, and leaving the path better than I found it. I’ve been married 25 years, dad to a 19-year-old son and a 16-year-old daughter, with a golden retriever and a rescue pup who makes sure we get outside. The mountains taught me stewardship and patience; athletics including skiing, tennis, bikes, kayaking, dirtbiking, and 14ers taught me grit and joy. Education provided a disciplined direction: two master’s degrees and a career built on turning curiosity into competence and making learning accessible, practical, and measurable.
Professionally, I hope people say I kept a high bar and finished what I started. At Emerge ID, that looks like Relentless Incrementalism—adherence to timelines, creative solutions, honest feedback loops and consistent follow-through. The products that I created were useful, reliable, successful. I hope the story ends with this: He was loyal to his people, ethical in his choices, tough when it mattered, and kind when it counted. He left the trail, and the teams he served, stronger than he found them.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://emergeid.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emergeid
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/emergeid
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emergeinstructionaldesign
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@emergeid5436
so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
