Chasing the Big and Sweating the Small with Curt Schreiber

VSA Partners describes Curt Schreiber as “the heart of VSA design”. As chief creative officer, he currently guides VSA’s creative philosophy and is responsible for establishing the office’s design standards and offerings. During his 30 years at the hybrid brand strategy and design agency, Curt has been essential in the agency’s evolution. Also an influential thought leader within the industry, he was recently named one of Chicago’s most influential designers and included in AIGA’s ‘This is Chicago’. 

While helping VSA Partners deliver solutions for some of the world’s most respected and forward-thinking brands -  Google, Nike, IBM, Robinhood, and Affirm to name a few - Curt’s work has been recognised by more than 100 international design and communications organisations, publications and competitions including Cannes Lions, Cooper Hewitt, Communication Arts, Graphis and the Society of Typographic Arts. His work is also included in the permanent collection of the U.S. Library of Congress.

LBB’s Ben Conway caught up with Curt to discuss his deep expertise in the design and creative fields, the development of VSA Partners - from its Bauhaus-influenced roots to its current ambition to “design for a better human experience” - and why a deadline is a perfectionist’s friend.

LBB> What creative content inspired or interested you most when you were growing up? 

Curt> I grew up on a farm in Iowa - not exactly the epicentre of creativity. From a very early age, people saw my talent and encouraged this path. I painted, sculpted and screen-printed mostly. It wasn’t until college that I was introduced to typography, colour theory, and all the related aspects of design. 

‘2001: A Space Odyssey’ stands out. Kubrick was a genius. Unconventional, obsessed with scientific accuracy, and innovative. It’s interesting that I’ve spent 20+ years collaborating with IBM. Remember HAL?

LBB> What did you study at college? 

Curt> I got my BFA at Iowa State University. When choosing a college, I was still very interested in mathematics. So, in my freshman year, I pursued both design and engineering. It wasn’t long before I knew what I wanted to do.

LBB> What’s the most important lesson/piece of advice you received early on in your career? 

Curt> My most memorable piece of advice came from Bob Vogele: ‘Think and act as an owner’. Bob was VSA’s first CEO. He came out of retirement to start VSA. For over a decade, we’d have breakfast every Monday morning and discuss the business - how to grow it and new ways of working. When you think and act as an owner, you make the right choices for the business, you care about the things that matter, you put forth more effort. He felt that everyone had the possibility of becoming an owner but that it was up to the individual to decide if they were willing to do what it takes. 

Not a day goes by without me recalling a piece of his advice. I joined VSA in 1991 because of Bob. While interviewing, he explained more about the business of design than I had learned during my four years of college.  

LBB> How has the company changed from a boutique design agency to a brand-led CX agency? Is design still a core pillar of VSA’s work?  

Curt> Early on, virtually all of the VSA staff were designers. As designers, we wrote the proposals, managed the projects, delivered the production files - and designed as well. As we grew, the opportunities required greater and more specialised skill sets. We hired strategists, developers, project managers, video editors, and content managers. We also opened offices on the east and west coasts to access more talent and better serve clients. 

The design practice has always been integral to VSA’s DNA. Today, we consider ourselves a brand and strategy agency, and our capabilities have expanded far beyond what we started out with. But it all still comes down to design - just a different concept of what ‘design’ looks like. VSA’s purpose is to ‘design for a better human experience’. So whether you’re a strategist, developer, or producer, every person in the company has a valuable role in design. 

LBB> As CCO, how have you cultivated the company’s philosophy over the years, and how do you maintain it from a leadership perspective?  

Curt> Our interactions and experiences with people and culture today continuously influence our creative philosophy. But our foundations were shaped by the Bauhaus, Muji, Ray and Charles Eames, and more. We embrace constraint, seek utility, believe in prototyping, and always have empathy for the user. We hire great people. People who like to chase the big stuff and sweat the small stuff. People who show up for one another and who are willing to fight for great work while having fun. And we make sure that we can find them - our ‘Work From Anywhere’ remote work policy has enabled us to hire the best people from all over the United States. 

I spend most of my time with clients and supporting the creative teams to do their best work. VSA is a very flat organisation - there’s not a lot of bureaucracy. We have an expectation that the C-suite gets involved in the work. It’s always been that way. 

LBB> What were your earliest and most impactful professional projects like? And how has the design world changed since then?  

Curt> My first design projects were for Harley-Davidson. I ride motorcycles, so this was epic. The idea that I could do both - design and ride - and work with the actual Davidson family blew my mind. That was a 20-year run. The game-changer for VSA was the Chicago Board of Trade annual reports - they captured global attention. Looking back, the formula was not that dissimilar from Kubrick’s.

Now, design has become more democratic. Design tools and social media have enabled everyone to make things and influence audiences. I think it’s great that so many have the ability to share what’s important to them.  

LBB> What’s your favourite part of what you do, and what’s the most challenging aspect for you personally? 

Curt> My favourite part of the business is collaborating with clients. So many creatives put work first. I would even say, ‘You’re only as good as the last thing you did’. Over the years, I think of it differently - ‘You’re only as good as your last relationship’. Build great relationships, and the rest will come.

I’m a perfectionist, so I struggle with knowing when I’m done. A deadline is my friend.

LBB> What are some recent projects that make you proud? Can you talk to us about your recent work with Mānuka Health, for example? 

Curt> You haven’t heard of the Leptospermum scoparium flowering plant? Only native to New Zealand and harvested by the European honey bee! Our San Francisco team led the rebrand and global campaign to reposition Mānuka Health as the ‘co-pilot’ on any customer’s wellness journey, and centred on the idea of ‘re-naturing’ - people connecting with natural experiences to feel more alive and to bring out the best of what’s inside them.

The recent work with Google and Nike is also pretty exciting. As both of these companies expand their footprint, they are doing so in a way that is so ‘them’. ‘Authentic’ is overused these days, but they are being true to who they are. The teams deserve all the credit. But I thrive at the intersection of technology and culture. That makes the work exciting for me. 

LBB> You have been recognised as one of the most influential designers in Chicago by institutions like AIGA - what does this mean to you? 

Curt> VSA celebrates its 40th year in business this November. In many ways, both our longevity and our ability to transform speaks to the type of community that I’m a part of. One that is committed to greatness and willing to do what it takes to get there. 

LBB> Looking at the broader industry, what gets you really excited and what could the industry be doing better? 

Curt> Automation. Low code. Design for all. Let’s make what we do easier - and more accessible. It’s been too hard and for only the few, for too long. Every user and every brand deserves great design. And more diversity! The industry has a long way to go.

LBB> Outside of work, what do you do to decompress? 

Curt> A long weekend in Northern Michigan. I mentioned many already, but I also love to cook and love watching cooking shows. I subscribe to cooking magazines and grocery shop every day. I try a new recipe each week - I’m obsessed with food. 

LBB> What is it that motivates you at work and at home?

Curt> It’s the relationship between life and work that motivates me. They are at odds and they also inspire each other.