Hannah Ahn

Despite the sexy free breakfast buffets, workplace benefits and, ping-pong tables – I was extremely unhappy. Contrary to what might have appeared on the surface, a job at Canva was never “the dream”. Since being introduced to startups when I was 15, I have always aspired to build businesses. And honestly reflecting, joining Canva was a good-looking excuse to equip myself with the “skills and experience” before taking that leap. While I grew skills and confidence in some relevant domains I knew I was taking a detour away from what I truly wanted to do. Rather than going straight from A → B, I created irrelevant steps in-between to procrastinate and protect myself from failure. Months deep into my job I felt like a fraud because deep down I knew I didn’t want to be there and seeing the clock hand progress it’s way to 5 o‘clock would always have me sigh in relief. I fell right into the trope of the complacent, disillusioned white-collar office worker – and I hated myself for it. Something

Despite the sexy free breakfast buffets, workplace benefits and, ping-pong tables – I was extremely unhappy. Contrary to what might have appeared on the surface, a job at Canva was never “the dream”. Since being introduced to startups when I was 15, I have always aspired to build businesses. And honestly reflecting, joining Canva was a good-looking excuse to equip myself with the “skills and experience” before taking that leap. While I grew skills and confidence in some relevant domains I knew I was taking a detour away from what I truly wanted to do. Rather than going straight from A → B, I c