Building a successful business often starts with what seems like an impossible dream. Melanie Perkins, CEO of Canva, knows this better than most. She transformed a “crazy” idea about democratizing design into a platform now used by over 100 million people monthly and valued at $32.5 billion.
In a recent keynote address, which you can watch below, Perkins shares the journey from Canva’s humble beginnings with a team that could fit around one table to becoming a global design powerhouse with 3,300+ employees worldwide.
What makes Perkins’ story particularly compelling for entrepreneurs is how she approached the seemingly impossible. She started by imagining what she calls the “castle in the clouds”—envisioning the perfect future she wanted to create, even when it seemed unrealistic. From there, she broke down that massive vision into achievable steps and concrete goals.
Perkins faced over 100 rejections from investors before securing funding, but she kept refining her approach. She began with a smaller concept, Fusion Books for yearbook design, before scaling to the comprehensive design platform we know today. Her advice? “Find a problem you’re passionate about and build a solution people love.”
With current economic pressures making it harder than ever to secure funding and grow a business, Perkins’ emphasis on persistence and clear vision becomes even more relevant. Her approach of starting small while thinking big offers a practical path forward for entrepreneurs facing today’s challenging climate.
The three core lessons she shares—the importance of dreaming big, turning those dreams into actionable missions, and clearly defining company values—provide a roadmap for navigating both the ups and downs of building a business in any economic environment.
