Brand Stories & Strategies

In 2025, as artificial intelligence continues to dominate the business world, Canva remains one of the most popular tools for design creation. Used by millions of entrepreneurs, marketers, students, and even major corporations, Canva has become synonymous with accessible and professional graphic design. Yet not everyone knows who stands behind its incredible success. The answer is Melanie Perkins, an Australian entrepreneur who transformed a simple idea into a company worth nearly $50 billion.

The path to success is rarely a straight line. Behind every great entrepreneur lies not only triumphs but also a series of failures that became stepping stones to greatness. These failures not only reveal mistakes but also teach valuable lessons that paved the way to success. Let’s explore 10 inspiring stories, examining the reasons behind their failures and how they turned things around.

Tefal is a globally recognized company known for its innovative kitchen cookware and appliances. Founded in 1956 by French engineer Marc Grégoire, the company revolutionized cooking with its invention of non-stick cookware using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), commonly known as Teflon. Once a material exclusive to aerospace, Tefal brought its benefits to everyday kitchens worldwide.

Most of us have likely held a BIC ballpoint pen in our hands at least once in our lifetime - if not many times over. The simple and iconic BIC logo adorns these pens, a familiar sight on shelves in nearly any store, alongside lighters, razors, and other everyday items made by this manufacturer. The brand's popularity is so astounding that many believe the very first ballpoint pen was invented by the founder of BIC.

Today, the name Shutterstock is widely recognized among professional photographers, photography enthusiasts, and, of course, clients. It is the world's largest online platform for selling and buying images, catering to photographers, designers, and image seekers. With Shutterstock, creators can showcase their work and find the perfect images to bring their projects to life.

The traditional office work model that we all know and are used to has officially become a thing of the past. These bold words come from Gary Mendel, one of the founders of Yopine and a satisfied member of the WeWork community.

The MailChimp story has an element of lightheartedness running through it. It's not about offering customers a subpar product under this brand – quite the contrary. Over its more than 15 years of existence, this online email service has consistently proven its effectiveness. What's really intriguing is the founders, Ben Chestnut and Dan Kurzius, and their unique approach to their brainchild, alongside their unconventional marketing tactics.

Today, the number of travelers worldwide has skyrocketed compared to 20 or 30 years ago. The main reason for this surge is the significant drop in transportation costs, especially air travel. It's hard to determine what came first — the surge in demand for air travel that prompted airlines to lower prices, or the emergence of budget carriers that fueled the growth of tourism.

Any discussion of the Ubuntu operating system would be incomplete without delving into the biography of Mark Shuttleworth. In turn, when talking about him, you inevitably come to his most renowned project - currently, Ubuntu stands as the crowning achievement of his career.

It seems unlikely that there is a single programmer or developer in the world who hasn't heard of the groundbreaking project founded by the Uretsky brothers - Digital Ocean. Today, this leading provider of cloud infrastructure has data centers in numerous countries across the Americas, Europe, and Asia. What lies behind the success of this giant and what was the inspiration behind its creation?

Did you know that one of the most globally used messaging apps, Viber, was actually created by a native of Nizhny Novgorod, Russia? The mastermind behind it is Igor Magazinnik, currently residing in Israel. He sold his brainchild back in 2014 for almost a billion dollars and now he's onto a new venture - a taxi service called Juno that aims to rival Uber in New York City.

Every homeowner strives to preserve their assets for as long as possible, especially if they hold significant value. This applies to everything: a car, a house, equipment. But how can one achieve this when everything is constantly exposed to factors that can damage our valuable possessions? The solution is simple - all these items need to be protected with a specialized coating.

Selling pharmaceuticals can be an incredibly lucrative venture, given that at some point, everyone will likely need to use medication. Unfortunately, this high demand also fuels the proliferation of counterfeit drugs in the market. Even in the most advanced Western countries, the prevalence of these counterfeit medications hovers around 8%, while in some former Soviet countries, it skyrockets to a staggering 40%.

Confiture - a gourmet workshop, founded by two Kiev natives, Eugene Klopotenko and Denis Slivnov, in 2010. The company's flagship product is artisanal jam, which has been expanding its range lately. Denis is a skilled chef by profession, with a successful culinary background, having worked in various restaurants and even triumphed on the TV show "MasterChef." Eugene is no stranger to the culinary world either.

Shopify is considered one of the top website builders in the world for online stores right now. It's user-friendly, straightforward, and the monthly subscription cost begins at $29 (plus an additional 2% from every sale). What's more, you can use it for free in a trial mode for the first two weeks. Plus, there are no fees for setting up your online store.

An ironclad proof that "everything brilliant is simple" - the military-style puzzle game Angry Birds by Rovio. Nobody could resist the passions unfolding in the battle between birds and pigs, except perhaps for a solitary conch on the beaches of the Seychelles. It's a game enjoyed by boys, girls, young men, young women, grandmothers, and grandfathers, each diving in with the same fervor: "And let the whole world wait."

Mike Lindell is 56 years old, and a significant portion of his life has been spent in the small provincial town of Chaska, located in the state of Minnesota. At first glance, you wouldn't suspect that this solidly built, mustachioed man heads a company that rakes in an annual profit of $300 million. When you consider his checkered past, like his former struggles with addiction, the surprise only deepens.

Caterpillar began its historical journey in the late 19th century. Back in 1890, two owners of different companies were experimenting with the efficiency of using traction engines in agriculture. Benjamin Holt and Daniel Best were at the forefront of these advancements, eventually becoming the founders of the industry giant Caterpillar. At that time, their focus was on improving and pushing the boundaries of tractor capabilities. This marked the humble beginnings of a company that would revolutionize the agricultural and construction industries with innovative machinery.