Inside Canva’s Culture: How Rob Giglio Leads With Mission, Marketing, and Meaning

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🎧 In this episode of X Factor, I sat down with Rob Giglio, Chief Customer Officer at Canva—and someone who’s spent his career scaling some of the most iconic brands in the world, including Procter & Gamble, Clorox, HubSpot, and DocuSign.

What stood out most? Rob didn’t just talk about marketing. He talked about leadership. And not the polished kind—real leadership built on purpose, service, and people-first thinking.

“The most worthy deed helps someone else succeed.”

That quote, from his father, shaped his career. And it’s shaping Canva’s too.

Let’s break down the lessons Rob shared—from the brands he’s built to the people he hires and the culture that powers one of the fastest-growing design platforms on the planet.

Canva’s Flywheel Mission

Canva’s core mission isn’t just about design. It’s about scale—for the right reason.

“We want to be the biggest company we can be—so we can do the most good.”

That’s not a marketing slogan. It’s a two-step mission that guides how they build, hire, and grow.

And it works. Because when the company wins, so do the users. That kind of alignment is rare. And Rob’s helping drive it every day.

The Three Things He Hires For

Rob’s philosophy is simple—but powerful:

“Wattage. Results orientation. Leadership.”

Let’s break that down:

• Wattage = how hard someone thinks about the work. Not IQ—curiosity.

• Results orientation = relentless follow-through. People who don’t give up.

• Leadership = the ability to plant a flag and build the road to get there.

If you want to build a high-performance team, this is your checklist.

How to Build a Brand That Connects

What makes Canva’s brand resonate so deeply? Rob says it’s about understanding who you’re really serving—and how you meet their moment.

“You don’t build a brand in a vacuum. You build it with a purpose—and for a person.”

That’s the piece most people skip. They make the brand about them, not about the audience.

When your brand reflects your customer—not just your vision—that’s when the messaging becomes magnetic.

Take Your Work Seriously. Not Yourself.

One of my favorite lines from the episode?

“We take our work seriously—but we don’t take ourselves seriously.”

It’s easy to lose that balance in leadership. Rob hasn’t.

His team’s culture is grounded in fun, humility, and an unapologetic drive to do great work—for the right reasons.

Your Move This Week

Whether you’re a team leader, a solo agent, or building a brand of your own—Rob’s insights are pure gold.

Here’s your challenge:

• Revisit your “why.” Is your mission grounded in service?

• Use Rob’s hiring filter: wattage, results, leadership. Are you building around those traits?

• Ask yourself: What would it look like to grow so you can do more good?

Because growth isn’t just a business goal—it’s a platform for impact.

Let's Grow,

Wendy

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