Melanie Perkins is an Australian entrepreneur and tech innovator who has made a major impact in the technology, media, and marketing industries. She is the CEO and Co-Founder of Canva, an online graphic design platform that makes it easy to create professional graphics for business, education, and personal use. Perkins has a bold vision for the future of technology, which is to make technology accessible and easy-to-use for anyone and everyone. Additionally, she is an inspiring leader who has been praised for her dedication and drive to create successful businesses.
Perkins’ journey in entrepreneurship and technology began when she was only in high school. She was accepted into an entrepreneurship program, which sparked her interest in starting her own business. After completing a degree in marketing, Perkins decided to pursue her passion and founded her first business in 2007: Fusion Books, an online yearbook-creating platform. Despite the company’s success, it faced financial difficulties due to a lack of investment. Determined to save the company, Perkins took a major risk and mortgaged her home to secure the funds needed. This risk paid off, and Fusion Books is now listed on the Australian Stock Exchange.
In 2013, Perkins and her co-founder, Cliff Obrecht, launched Canva. The platform quickly became a success, allowing non-designers with no Photoshop skills to create stunning graphic designs in minutes. The platform’s affordability and its ability to take the complicated process of design and make it user-friendly have made it widely popular. The company has since raised over $234 million in funding and is currently valued at $2.5 billion.
Perkins’ success is attributable in part to her risk-taking and innovative mindset. When starting Canva, she and her co-founder recognized the potential of the platform and were willing to invest time and effort to develop a business strategy that could be successful. Perkins was also willing to take risks in her personal life, such as mortgaging her home to save Fusion Books, in order to build the enterprise she envisioned.
In addition to her risk-taking attitude, Perkins has an inspiring management style. She is a passionate leader who encourages collaboration and open communication within the workplace. She is also highly organized, devoting time to planning and ensuring everything is in place for a successful launch. Additionally, Perkins makes an effort to understand and meet the needs of her customers, using feedback to gauge customer satisfaction and improve the platform.
The success of Perkins’ enterprises has earned her numerous awards, including the ELLE Australia Women of the Year award and the Forbes 30 Under 30 list. Additionally, she has been featured on the cover of Forbes Asia Magazine and recently appeared on the magazine cover for Fortune’s “Future 50”.
Melanie Perkins is an inspiring entrepreneur and a risk-taking innovator. She has faced many challenges on her entrepreneurial journey but has consistently persevered to build successful businesses. Her innovative mindset, risk-taking attitude, and dedication to her customers have allowed her to make a major impact in the technology, media, and marketing industries. Perkins is an inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs and is sure to continue to make waves in the tech world for years to come.
