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Australia Daniel Flynn is a social entrepreneur who founded Thankyou, a social enterprise that funds impact projects through consumer product sales.
Daniel co-founded Thankyou at the age of 19, and today 14 years later, Thankyou's products are stocked by major retailers in Australia, with 100% of profits going towards impact projects. The company has raised $18.57 million for its impact partners.
Thankyou successfully lobbied 7-Eleven to stock their products, expanding their reach and impact.
Thankyou utilized a digital marketing and social media campaign, including flying helicopters over headquarters, to influence Coles to stock their products.
Thankyou used a public lobbying strategy, including social media and celebrity endorsements, to get Woolworths to stock their products.
Thankyou initially partnered with Samaritan's Purse, giving up to 30% of its profits to the organization, before discontinuing the partnership in August 2013.
Visy donated 30,000 prototype bottles to Thankyou to help kickstart their production without upfront cost.
Metro Beverage Company became an early distributor for Thankyou products shortly after production began.
The Channel 7 program 'Sunrise' provided support to Thankyou's Coles and Woolworths campaign, contributing to its success.
Daniel Flynn and Thankyou invited major brands like P&G and Unilever to collaborate on expanding Thankyou globally to help end extreme poverty.
Thankyou initiated its first Australian project in 2015 with the Salvation Army's Hamodava Café in Melbourne, supporting local community efforts.
Thankyou works with Red Cross as one of its development partners, contributing to various global projects.
Oxfam is listed as one of Thankyou's development work partners, benefiting from their funding for different projects.
CARE is one of the partners Thankyou collaborates with for its development work, supporting a range of projects.
Born in Australia, Daniel Flynn displayed an entrepreneurial spirit and a keen awareness of social issues from a young age. At 19, he identified that while 900 million people globally lacked access to safe drinking water, Australians spent $600 million annually on bottled water. This insight spurred him to action, leading to the creation of Thankyou Water in 2008. He mobilized a team of friends who balanced their university studies and part-time jobs while working on the project. Despite numerous initial challenges, Daniel’s vision for a social enterprise that would allow consumers to contribute to global change through their everyday purchases began to materialize. His founding principle was that “Impossibility is only someone’s opinion, not a fact.”
Under Daniel’s leadership, Thankyou Water expanded into the Thankyou Group within five years. The company broadened its product lines to include food and body care, with 100% of the profits dedicated to funding food and hygiene projects, in addition to water initiatives. Thankyou products gained significant traction, becoming available in 4,000 outlets, including major supermarkets like Coles and Woolworths. The brand achieved notable success in product categories, holding 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 asking Daniel about Thankyou’s international expansion plans.
Throughout his career, Daniel Flynn has been recognized for his innovative approach to social enterprise. In 2014, he was named Victorian Young Australian of the Year, acknowledging his impact and leadership. By 2016, Thankyou had raised $3.7 million for various projects, significantly improving access to water, hygiene, sanitation, and food aid for hundreds of thousands of people across 17 countries. The company has continuously evolved, pausing bottled water production in 2020 due to environmental concerns and committing to further global expansion. Daniel’s work continues to bridge the gap between consumerism and addressing extreme poverty, demonstrating the potential for business to drive positive social change.
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