Guy Kawasaki's Remarkable People Melanie Perkins: CEO of Canva
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Aug 5, 2020 
Melanie Perkins, the CEO of Canva, traces her journey from a university project to co-founding a global design platform in her mother's living room. She shares the challenges of securing funding, facing over 100 rejections before finding success. Melanie discusses the benefits of building a tech company outside Silicon Valley, the importance of intuitive design, and how the pandemic amplified remote collaboration. She also highlights the significance of company culture and the hurdles women face in venture capital, emphasizing resilience and authentic self-promotion.
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Fusion Books Beginnings
- Melanie Perkins co-founded Fusion Books in her mom's living room to make yearbook design simpler for schools.
- This niche startup laid the foundation for Canva by validating demand and building critical company skills early on.
Remote Location Benefits
- Being distant from Silicon Valley was fortunate as Australian talent was stable and accessible.
- Remote global talent pooling accelerates innovation beyond traditional startup hubs.
Team Structure Drives Ownership
- Canva's structure empowers small teams with ownership and big visions, fueling innovation.
- Breaking large teams down preserves passion and close customer connection as the company grows.