Cameron Adams’ Post

It was just reported that Canva is doing over $2B/yr in revenue. Melanie Perkins and her team have built a once-in-a-generation company not through hype or code or luck but through great strategy. They recognized a truth that now seems obvious, but at the time (over 100 rejections by VCs) was not: there is no design software for the 99% of the world who are not designers. It's inspiring to me in figuring out our strategy for airpost.ai. Where is the gap in video that no one sees yet? If we could enable 99% of the world to easily "shoot" and edit a UGC ad in minutes, would it matter? Would people come? Strategy is about doing your best to understand the reality around you and to be as realistic as possible about who might find value in your product to solve what, when. It's one of my favorite things to work on, as hard as it is to get right. Do you spend a lot of time on strategy at your company? Has it paid off?

Welcome to #MarketingMonday - here's some content to help you start your #workweek off right! 30 year old, Melanie Perkins has astonished the world by founding one of the most popular as well as successful infographic designing company, Canva. #Follow us and gain #insight into #marketingstrategy each day with our awesome #marketingtips, #salestips and new #opportunities in #marketing, #sales and #business - directly from our #businessconsultants to you! Be sure to like this post, #followus & #share what you love most about this post in the comments below.

In case you haven't heard. Something incredible just happened in our tech world down under! Canva, our very own design software giant, has just made a monumental move, selling $2.43 billion AUD worth of shares. What’s even more mind-blowing? The company is now valued at a whopping $26 billion USD! 💰🔥 But here's the part that truly warms my heart. 🥰 The real winners of this epic sale are the "Canvanauts" - yes, the employees! Thanks to Canva's Employee Stock Ownership Plan, those who have been part of the journey, believing in the vision from the start, are now seeing their faith turn into fortune. This isn't just a win for Canva; it's a groundbreaking moment for Australian tech. We're witnessing a shift towards a more inclusive and democratic way of building businesses, where success is shared, not just among the top echelons, but with everyone who contributes. 🙌 Kudos to founders Cliff Obrecht, Cameron Adams and Melanie Perkins, for inspiring us and showing what’s possible when a company puts its people at the heart of its success. Here’s to paving the way for a brighter, more inclusive future in tech! https://bit.ly/43WTYWv #Canva #AustralianTech #Innovation #TeamSuccess #TechNews #Sydney #InnovateSydney

New Post: With Affinity acquisition, Canva should be able to compete better with Adobe’s creative tools - https://lnkd.in/g8W65dwu - Canva, the high-flying Australian design and visual communication startup, announced today it was acquiring Affinity (formerly Serif), a creative tools company based in the U.K. Bloomberg reported that the deal was worth several hundred million pounds (approximately $380 million U.S.), and the company confirmed to TechCrunch that the number was accurate. Canva has typically targeted © 2024 TechCrunch. All rights reserved. For personal use only. - #news #business #world -------------------------------------------------- Download: Stupid Simple CMS - https://lnkd.in/g4y9XFgR -------------------------------------------------- or download at SourceForge - https://lnkd.in/gNqB7dnp

How do you build a $40 billion design juggernaut out of Australia with: -▶︎ Zero Silicon Valley connections -▶︎ No technical background -▶︎ 100+ investor rejections 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁-𝗺𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗲𝘁 𝗳𝗶𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝘂𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻. That’s exactly what Melanie Perkins, Cliff Obrecht, and Cameron Adams had when building Canva. Today, Canva boasts more than 170M active users across 190 countries while making 2 billion dollars annually. Revenue per employee is exactly the same as Stripe - $444.000 generated per employee. Their current valuation in 2024 is $26 billion down from its height of $40 billion in 2021. If you want to know how they got here, check out the Story of Canva in the comments below👇🔗

Ever wondered why Canva is so successful? I was lucky enough to find out. Just got back from SXSW Sydney where I had the chance to hear Melanie Perkins, Canva’s co-founder, share her journey. She talked about how Canva isn’t just a tool—it’s an experience that makes anyone feel like a designer, no matter their skill level. They’ve nailed gamification, turning the process of creating into something that feels fun and accessible. One thing that really stood out is how deeply Canva listens to its users. Their recent “Glow Up”? That came straight from community feedback, making people feel seen and valued. It’s not just lip service—they genuinely listen and make changes based on what their users need. Another point she made was how free or paid, Canva puts just as much effort into both. Their goal is to empower everyone to create, no matter what their budget is. It’s refreshing to hear a founder care about delivering value to all users, not just those who pay. And the biggest takeaway for me: Set ridiculously big goals. It was inspiring to hear from an Aussie female founder who’s building a company that’s fun, ambitious, and deeply connected to its users. So, what big goals are you chasing right now? #Canva #SXSWSydney #BigIdeas #FemaleFounder #Design

The Story of Canva: Overlooked Idea to Industry standard Melanie Perkins in 2007 in her part-time job while being a student in Perth, Australia, was struck by the complexity and cost of design software. Teaching students in her part-time job, she saw how the students required a semester's worth of teaching just to learn these design software tools. The question that sparked her design revolution: "Is there a way this could be simpler and less expensive?" Driven by this vision, Perkins set out to create an affordable, simple, online design tool. Over 100 investors initially rejected her pitch. But Melanie persevered. She honed her message, focusing on the relatable problem Canva aimed to solve the overwhelming experience of complex design software. "A lot of people can relate to going into something like Photoshop and being completely overwhelmed," Perkins shared in an interview at Inc. Magazine. "It's important to tell the story because if your audience doesn't understand the problem, they won't understand the solution." This shift in focus finally resonated with investors, leading to Canva's first investment after 3 years of getting rejected. Today, that investment has been nurtured into a platform used by 60 million in 190 countries! Melanie Perkins' story reminds us of the power of a clear value proposition and the determination and resilience required for entrepreneurial success. Rishi Chourasia Vikrant Joshi Vikalp Education #canva #designthinking #entrepeneurship

💪 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐢𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 - 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲?💪 💡 This week, I learned about Melanie Perkins, the 35-year-old Australian founder of Canva, one of my favourite platforms. I always refer to it as the 'design tool for non-designers', and I definitely fall into that camp! 👩🎨 The story of resilience that captured my attention was that ONE HUNDRED VCs turned down Melanie before gaining investment for her business. Now, we all know how disheartening it can be to be turned down by one opportunity, job, client, or investor—multiply that feeling by 100! Have you ever heard how Canva came to be? It's actually a pretty awesome story! In 2007, Melanie Perkins taught graphic design in Perth, Australia, and she saw how her students struggled with clunky and pricey design software. That sparked a brilliant idea that she could build a super simple online tool that anyone could use for graphic design. And just like that, Canva started to take shape! The latest update is that Canva is valued at $40 billion. The company employs around 2,000 people and is operational in 190 countries worldwide. It boasts over 100 million monthly active users, making it a significant player in the graphic design software marketplace. So, if you’ve faced rejection in some shape or form this month, just remember Melanie Perkins' journey with Canva. 💪 Every 'no' is not a roadblock but a step closer to that pivotal 'yes'. 💪 Your idea doesn't stop being brilliant just because someone fails to see its potential. 💪 Each rejection is a cue to refine and persist. 💪 We can all build our resilience by learning from each experience and persevering, even when the path gets tough. Your 'Canva story' might be one pitch away. 💛 (Image designed in... Canva 😎 - obvs) #Resilience #Investment #Founders #Marketing #StartUpStory

Canva dropped the mic with a rap battle at their recent event 🎤💥 Though it's been a couple of weeks, its impact is still worth sharing. Well, love it or cringe at it, they've got everyone talking! 💬  But was it really a face-plant? Not according to Canva's COO! With hundreds of millions of views, it's safe to say their marketing team hit the jackpot in raising awareness about Canva Enterprise. 🌟 But what's the key takeaway from this masterstroke? Tech product launches often mimic Steve Jobs' style, but Canva's approach reminds us that standing out doesn't always mean being aggressive or shocking. It's about being "too something" – that's your Spice! You don't need Canva's budget or a huge team to make waves in your industry. You just need to find your spice and own it. 🌶️ Here’s How: Embrace your alter ego: Amplify qualities that set you apart. Like Clark Kent transforming into Superman. Inject humor: Create memorable experiences and emotional connections with your audience through humor, while still maintaining boundaries. Maintain transparency: While you do the above two, be adamant about building trust by being open about your brand's processes, values, and shortcomings. Authenticity breeds loyalty. Remember, if you’re a brand that is facing underexposure, your biggest fear should be being too mundane or ordinary. So, go ahead, dare to be different, and let your spice shine! ✨ Would you pull a bold stunt like that for your brand? Share in the comments. #Marketing #DigitalMarketing #Marketingfirms #MarketingStrategies #MarketingCampaigns

We all know #canva is one of the world’s most influential design platforms. But did you know that the tale of the world's biggest women-led startup wasn’t that easy? So, what problems did they face?   Design software was expensive, complicated, and a bit scary for non-professionals. Traditional marketing needed a more personal touch to really vibe with everyone. And, of course, going head-to-head with established design software giants. Tough, right?   Canva knew people like us wanted beautiful designs, not design headaches. They ditched the norm and introduced the "#freemium" model — a free version with core features and affordable Pro plans for advanced users.   They spoiled users with a massive content library, millions of templates, stock photos, and illustrations, eliminating the need to start from scratch.   To get the word out organically, they teamed up with micro-influencers and content creators. Canva even hosted design contests and challenges, with heaps of user-generated content flaunting the platform's simplicity and versatility.   From being more than just a tool, it became a resource hub. Free design goodies, tutorials, and guides turned Canva into the go-to place for design enthusiasts.   Now, social media wasn't left out. Canva hopped onto the latest trends, joined the cool hashtags, and took on challenges, ensuring everyone knew who they were.   The result? A whopping 1 million users in just half a year, soaring to a mind-blowing 135 million active users by Jan 2024, with a social media reach that makes your head spin.   Strategic PR plans and genuine connections can create a viral buzz and brand awareness. Want more jaw-dropping stories?   #entrepreneurship #startupPR ##CanvaCommunity #digitalpr #prsuccess #canvadesign #storytelling #casestudy