daniel flynn australia co-founder & managing director of thankyou thankyou.co
A brief story of how it all started: I was 19 years old when I discovered that the Australian bottled water industry was worth $600 million a year, yet around 900 million people at that time were without access to safe water. I pulled together a group of friends and together came up with the idea to launch a bottled water product that would fund water projects around the globe. Thankyou has now grown to water, body care, food and baby to fund safe water access, hygiene and sanitation, food aid and child and maternal health programs to people in need in 17 countries. To date Thankyou have given over $4 million to projects.
What is the most inspiring words you have received as a child/teen, which have shaped you to become who you are today? My dad always said: "Daniel (in his serious voice) a person of integrity expects to be believed and if they're not, they let time prove them right". I never understood these words as a kid but as I grew up I realised the profound weight they carry. We live in a world where not everyone believes you on face value and in our line of work there's a real skepticism around 'giving and charity'. I hold onto my Dad's words that even if people don't quite understand or believe something, stick at it and in time they'll see.
What’s next for you? In July the new Thankyou baby body care and disposable and reusable nappy range that funds child and maternal health hits shelves. The range was developed with industry experts and mums and dads. We're really proud of this range and love the thought that by doing an everyday task like changing a nappy or giving your child a bath you're saving the lives of mothers and babies through funding access to birthing centres, trained skilled birth attendants, equipment for a safe delivery and more to families in need in some of the most remote parts of the world. 20