The woman behind Canva shares how she built a $42B company from nothing | Melanie Perkins
The woman behind Canva shares how she built a $42B company from nothing | Melanie Perkins
The woman behind Canva shares how she built a $42B company from nothing | Melanie Perkins
Melanie Perkins, co-founder and co-CEO of Canva, shares the mindset and strategies that propelled her company from a struggling startup to a global design platform used by hundreds of millions. Her journey is marked by resilience, visionary thinking, and an unwavering commitment to long-term goals despite early setbacks.
Perkins emphasizes 'Column B' thinking—starting with an ideal future and working backward—as central to Canva’s success. This approach enabled the team to maintain focus on bold visions despite technical challenges, including a grueling two-year rewrite that paused new feature development. Facing over 100 investor rejections, she refined her pitch using feedback while keeping the core mission intact, eventually securing support from aligned partners. Canva’s culture thrives on 'crazy big goals,' operationalized through structured planning and continuous user feedback. The company balances growth with purpose via its two-step plan: building value and maximizing positive impact through education and philanthropy. Today, Canva expands beyond design into AI-powered content creation, guided by user needs rather than competition. Perkins also stresses the importance of rest and reflection in sustainable leadership. Looking ahead to 2050, she believes imagination is the first step toward creating a better world, urging individuals and organizations to define and pursue aspirational futures with intention.
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Column B thinking means envisioning an ideal future and working backward to make it real
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Visual communication turns abstract ideas into reality.
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Crazy big goals turn the impossible into reality over time
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The two-year technical rewrite made it feel like a long, dark tunnel for the team.
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The vision was consistent, but the way of articulating it changed greatly.
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Take rejection as an opportunity to improve your pitch and process.
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When mission and actual work align, it brings authenticity for customers
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Taking breaks helps gain perspective and avoid working on the wrong things
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Canva has closed over 200 community feedback loops this year.
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Canva donates 30% of its equity to philanthropy through the Canva Foundation.
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Canva is doubling down on video with new mobile and desktop capabilities.
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Solve a small number of people's problems really well, and if it's a large market, you can build a big company.
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AI was part of Canva's vision since 2012, long before it became popular
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Turning desired realities into existence starts with writing them down and taking the first step.
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Imagination is more important than knowledge when building something new.
