Today we’d like to introduce you to Erik Reid.
Hi Erik, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I started my career working at a design agency, where I spent about six years learning the ins and outs of branding, packaging, and working with a range of clients. It was a great foundation and gave me exposure to everything from concept development to production work. Once my wife and I had children and started our family, I knew I wanted to structure our lives to spend as much time together. That desire led me to start Process Forty Three, my own design studio based here in Kansas City. Since then, I’ve been working with a mix of CPG, outdoor, and service-based companies, helping them bring clarity and structure to their brands as they grow. A lot of what I do sits in the space between idea and execution, taking something that may be a bit loose or undefined and turning it into something that’s clear, cohesive, and ready to be used in the real world.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It’s definitely not a smooth road, and I don’t think it’s supposed to be. It’s been a journey full of ups and downs, uncertainty, and continual learning. When running your own studio, you have to wear many hats. You’re not just doing the creative work, you’re also responsible for finding clients and projects, managing the relationships, managing the books, and making sure everything keeps moving forward simultaneously. Running your own business means getting comfortable with a lifelong journey of figuring things out as you go, and learning how to balance the creative work with the business side of it. There have been moments of inconsistency, busy seasons followed by slower ones, and learning how to navigate that without overcorrecting. Those challenges have shaped how I work now. I’ve become more intentional about the type of work I take on, how I structure projects, and how I show up as a partner to my clients.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
From a broad perspective, I help brands get clear and stay consistent as they grow. My work focuses on brand identity, packaging, and concept-driven design, but more importantly, I step in as a senior creative partner for teams that need support. That could be early-stage thinking, building out a visual system, or helping carry things through production so everything holds together.What I’m most proud of is the ability to step into different situations and bring clarity. A lot of clients come in with something that’s either fragmented or not fully defined, and I enjoy helping shape that into something that feels intentional and usable. What sets me apart is that I’m not just focused on making something look good. I’m thinking about how it works, how it scales, and how it shows up across all the places it needs to live. It’s a mix of creative thinking and practical execution.
What were you like growing up?
Growing up, I was always drawn to creative things like drawing, building, and figuring out how things worked. I was also pretty observant and detail-oriented, even if I didn’t have a name for it at the time. I’ve always enjoyed the creative process, which over the years has taken many forms, from building skateboards and woodworking to remodeling an old A-frame camper and working on my Jeep. At the core of it, I’ve always been interested in taking an idea and turning it into something tangible, and that’s carried directly into the work I do with Process Forty Three. It’s the same process I take pride in with my clients: taking an idea or concept and shaping it into something real, clear, and usable.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.processfortythree.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/process43designstudio
