Advocates for a 'two-step plan' where the first goal is to build one of the world's most valuable companies, and the second is to use that value to do the most good possible.
Believes in 'Column B Thinking,' a strategic framework focused on envisioning a perfect future state and working backward to achieve it, rather than making incremental improvements on the present.
Holds that empowering the world to design is a multi-faceted mission that requires enabling anyone to design anything, with every ingredient, in every language, and on every device.
Commits to deep integration of philanthropy and business, demonstrated by pledging her and her co-founder's 30% equity stake in Canva to the Canva Foundation.
Prioritizes setting 'crazy big goals' as a core company value to drive ambitious innovation and growth.
▶Visionary Leadership and 'Column B Thinking'Apr 2026
Perkins operates with a long-term, visionary approach, encapsulated by her 'Column B Thinking' philosophy. This involves defining an ideal future and working backward, rather than iterating on the present. This is further evidenced by the company's core value of setting 'crazy big goals' and its overarching 'two-step plan' to first build a valuable company and then do good with it.
This long-term, goal-oriented approach suggests a willingness to undertake difficult, non-incremental projects, like the two-year front-end rewrite, which could create significant competitive moats but may also introduce periods of slowed feature delivery.
▶Philanthropy as a Core Business PrincipleApr 2026
Philanthropy is not an afterthought for Perkins but a foundational component of Canva's identity. She and her co-founder have pledged their 30% equity stake to the Canva Foundation. This commitment is actively demonstrated through substantial donations, such as $50 million to GiveDirectly and a planned $100 million more over four years to combat extreme poverty.
Integrating philanthropy so deeply into the corporate mission can be a powerful tool for brand building, talent attraction, and employee retention, potentially creating a self-reinforcing cycle of success and social impact.
▶Radical User-Centricity and Product-Led GrowthApr 2026
Perkins has scaled Canva by being intensely focused on its user community. The company has a formal system to tally and categorize over one million annual user requests, leading to the implementation of hundreds of features. This feedback loop is critical, with 100 million people using the education product monthly and another 100 million designing presentations.
This reliance on direct user feedback for the product roadmap ensures high market fit and continuous improvement, but it also presents a scaling challenge in prioritizing which of the million-plus requests will drive the most strategic value.
▶Resilience in the Face of AdversityApr 2026
Perkins' journey with Canva is marked by significant challenges that required immense resilience. Initially, she was rejected by over 100 investors. Later, as CEO, she presided over a critical but arduous two-year front-end codebase rewrite, during which the company was unable to ship any new features to its users.
Perkins' demonstrated ability to persevere through both early-stage funding struggles and major mid-stage technical hurdles indicates a leadership style that is not deterred by short-term pain for long-term strategic gain.