Melanie Perkins, Co-founder and CEO of Canva, shares insights on transforming design accessibility. She discusses Canva's evolution into a competitive platform against Adobe, focusing on user-friendly tools and AI integration. The conversation highlights their commitment to philanthropy and how trust and transparency can reshape market dynamics. Perkins also reveals the challenges of maintaining local experiences while scaling globally and the innovative strategies behind the company's enterprise launch, emphasizing creativity's role in business growth.

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.

When she was just 19 years old, Melanie Perkins dreamt of transforming the graphic design and publishing industries. But she started small, launching a site to make yearbook design simpler and more collaborative. Her success with that first venture — and an unexpected meeting with a VC investor — eventually landed her the backing to pursue her original idea, and the chance to take on software industry titans like Adobe and Microsoft. Today, Melanie's online design platform Canva is valued at over $1 billion, joining the list of Australia's "unicorn" companies. PLUS for our postscript "How You Built That," how Tristan Corriveau collected used bars of soap from a hotel and recycled them into liquid soap with The One Gallon Soap Company. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Melanie Perkins, the innovative Co-founder and CEO of Canva, shares her journey from a college student frustrated with design software to leading a $6 billion graphic design revolution. She discusses her small beginnings with a yearbook design site and the pivotal meetings that helped secure crucial funding. Perkins candidly opens up about the challenges of leadership, emotional highs and lows in entrepreneurship, and how unexpected opportunities shaped her path. Her story highlights how Canva is democratizing design and fostering creativity for everyone.

Melanie Perkins, co-founder and CEO of Canva, discusses the transformative power of onboarding. She emphasizes how her platform's success hinges on engaging newcomers swiftly and simply. With over 40 million monthly users, Perkins shares strategies for onboarding not just customers, but also investors and employees, ensuring alignment with company values. Memory expert Ron White adds insights on enhancing memory retention, linking it to effective communication. Together, they showcase how thoughtful design and onboarding can foster long-term loyalty and innovation.

Melanie Perkins, CEO of Canva and a key figure in redefining design processes, joins the discussion to tackle listener questions. They dive into Disney's bold expansion plans, including its significant cruise investment and the innovative 'Taylor Swift era' experience. The conversation navigates the complexities of scarcity in entertainment, reflected in both Taylor's concert tours and Disney's evolving business strategies. Additionally, they explore the competitive landscape for Canva, particularly against emerging players in the design market.

In this chat, Melanie Perkins, the CEO of Canva, dives into how generative AI is transforming graphic design and social media marketing. She highlights the rapid shift from text to visual communication and the implications for learning in a video-centric world. Melanie also explores Canva's journey toward an IPO, discussing the hurdles and the competitive landscape around public versus private companies. Plus, she touches on the challenges faced by retail investors eager to get in on high-growth firms.

Melanie Perkins, the creator of a simplified graphic design software, shares her journey of starting Canva, a billion-dollar company. She faced rejection in Silicon Valley but remained resilient. Melanie's willingness to embrace the unknown, symbolized by her journey of learning kite surfing, led to Canva's success. The podcast also highlights the importance of women in STEM industries and their contribution to the future.

In this conversation, Melanie Perkins, co-founder and CEO of Canva, shares her insights on the transformative power of onboarding. She emphasizes how effective onboarding can significantly enhance user and employee engagement, drawing from Canva's remarkable growth with over 40 million users. Memory expert Ron White joins to discuss techniques for retention, showcasing how structured onboarding processes can lead to stronger connections. They explore innovative strategies that turn apprehension into excitement, highlighting the essential role of onboarding in driving business success.

Melanie Perkins, the visionary co-founder of Canva, shares insights on navigating her company's stellar growth while maintaining a remote team during the pandemic. Bill Creelman, founder of Spindrift, discusses how COVID-19 shifted his sales strategy, driving a surge in grocery and e-commerce. Both founders highlight the importance of adaptability, compassion, and innovation in their industries. Their candid reflections reveal the power of resilience in entrepreneurship and the potential for transformative change amidst challenges.