Early Life
Melanie Perkins was born in Perth, Western Australia, in 1987. Growing up, she displayed an early entrepreneurial spirit, starting a small business selling handmade scarves at 14. She attended Sacred Heart College and later the University of Western Australia, where she studied communications, psychology, and commerce. While in college, she tutored graphic design, observing the difficulties students faced with complex design software, which sparked the idea for Canva.
Rise to Success
Perkins, along with Cliff Obrecht and Cameron Adams, co-founded Canva in 2013. The initial years involved overcoming numerous rejections, with over 100 venture capitalists initially turning down their pitch. Despite these challenges, Perkins persisted. Canva's user-friendly interface and extensive library of templates quickly gained traction, attracting millions of users worldwide. The company achieved a valuation of $40 billion in 2021, marking a significant milestone.
Key Business Strategies
Canva's success is attributed to its focus on simplifying design, making it accessible to everyone. Perkins prioritized user experience and continually innovated, ensuring the platform catered to different languages and cultures. Her leadership style emphasizes company culture and employee empowerment. The freemium business model allowed Canva to attract a massive user base.
Philanthropy
Perkins and Obrecht are committed to philanthropy and have pledged to donate the majority of their wealth to charitable causes through the Canva Foundation. They joined the Giving Pledge, aiming to make a lasting positive impact.
