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Thankyou Water co-founder Daniel Flynn, believes strongly that young people have what it takes to do ‘the impossible’. He is passionate about inspiring young people to dream big and accomplish what many may say is unachievable.
At the age of Nineteen, Daniel Flynn had a major tipping point in his life when he was deeply impacted by a story of a boy in Africa, who spent his whole day collecting water which due to contamination had resulted in the killing of his two younger sisters. With two sisters of his own and aware of Australians’ bottled water habits, Daniel was catalysed into action. Along with a team of 4 other young Australians, Daniel has lead the launch of a brand of bottled water called Thankyou Water. All of Thankyou Water’s profit funds water projects in developing nations.
Daniel discovered two very opposing facts; Australians spend 600 million dollars on bottled water, while around the world nearly 900 million people don’t have access to safe drinking water. It was these two facts that birthed the concept of Thankyou Water.
Thankyou Water as it is known today started out as a mere dream and after much research the team discovered that it could take over $250,000 of start up expenses to become a reality. Peers and established business people said that it would be impossible to launch the brand. However, in late 2008 they landed deals with major suppliers and distributors around Australia and hit shelves of independent cafes early in 2009.
Today, in Australia, Thankyou Water has over 2,000 stockists, including vending machines, independent stockists, retail and corporate partners (such as BPH) and partnerships with Jetstar, 7-Eleven Australia and Australia Post. It took three years for the Thankyou Water team to sell their first million bottles. Last year they sold 5 million in one year.
Thankyou Water has so far contributed to 58 water projects in Cambodia, Uganda, Kenya, Myanmar and Sri Lanka and over 18,000 people now have access to safe water for the rest of their lives. This year without any increase in sales, they will fund 70,000 people.
An app has also been made available to purchasers where the unique code of a purchased bottle can be entered and provides the consumer with detailed information on the exact water project their purchase will fund. People receive information including GPS co-ordinates of the project, the current issues faced in the respective village and the exact water solution to be provided.
Daniel and members of the team have visited the projects and are inspired by the families they’ve met, many who for the first time have enough safe water to stay healthy and look after their children.
Daniel has a strong passion for entrepreneurship. Whilst volunteering full time for Thankyou Water, Daniel is also finishing his 4-year degree in project management at RMIT University and works a casual job on weekends and evenings selling mobile phones to support himself and his new wife Justine.
Daniel was named state finalist for the Young Australian of the Year Awards in 2012.