Daniel Flynn

Daniel Flynn is a social entrepreneur who founded Thankyou, a social enterprise that funds impact projects through consumer product sales. After identifying that 900 million people globally lacked access to safe drinking water while Australians spent $600 million annually on bottled water, Daniel Flynn went on to found Thankyou Water in 2008. He mobilized a team of friends who balanced their university studies and part-time jobs while working on the project, driven by his founding principle that ‘Impossibility is only someone’s opinion, not a fact.’ Flynn’s vision for a social enterprise that would allow consumers to contribute to global change through their everyday purchases began to materialize despite numerous initial challenges. Under Flynn’s leadership, Thankyou Water expanded into the Thankyou Group within five years, by 2013.

The company broadened its product lines to include food and body care, with 100% of the profits dedicated to funding water, food, and hygiene projects. Thankyou products gained significant traction, becoming available in 4,000 outlets including major supermarkets like Coles and Woolworths, and achieving the number one hand-wash position in Australia for five years. This growth enabled Thankyou Group to contribute to over 100 water projects across nine countries, providing safe water access to more than 60,000 people. His influence extended globally, with President Obama reportedly inquiring about Thankyou’s international expansion plans.

The company continuously evolved its sustainability practices, discontinuing bottled water production in 2020 due to environmental concerns. Flynn’s work continues to bridge the gap between consumerism and addressing extreme poverty, demonstrating the potential for business to drive positive social change through ongoing global expansion commitments.