Daniel Flynn: The Aussie Who Turned Bottled Water Into a Global Movement

At 19, Daniel came across a story about a young boy in Africa whose sisters died from drinking dirty water. That hit hard. Daniel’s got two sisters of his own. Combine that emotional punch with the fact that Aussies were dropping $600 million a year on bottled water, and he knew something had to change. So, he made it personal and launched Thankyou Water.

The Early Days: No Money, No Experience, Just Drive

Starting a business with a purpose sounds noble, but this wasn’t some polished boardroom plan. Daniel and a few mates were told flat out: “This will never work.” They needed over $250,000 just to get started. They had no major backing, no flashy resumes just a big idea and bigger determination.

But they pushed through. By late 2008, they scored deals with suppliers and got the product on shelves. By early 2009, Thankyou Water was selling in local cafes and vending machines. Today, it’s stocked in over 2,000 spots across the country, including 7-Eleven, Jetstar, and Australia Post.

Not Just Selling Water Changing Lives

It took them three years to move a million bottles. Now? They’re moving five million a year. That’s not the impressive part, though. The real win is what happens with the profits.

Every cent goes straight into funding clean water projects. So far, they’ve delivered safe drinking water to over 18,000 people across Cambodia, Uganda, Kenya, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka. This year, they’ll help 70,000 more without even needing to grow sales.

They Built Tech That Tells the Truth

Thankyou didn’t just slap a “feel-good” label on their bottles. They backed it with transparency. Customers can punch in a code from the bottle and see exactly where their money’s going right down to the GPS coordinates of the project. It’s real, it’s raw, and it’s changing how people see business.

No Silver Spoon Here

While Daniel was building a social enterprise, he was also studying project management, working retail jobs on the weekend, and building a life with his wife Justine. No investor millions. No fancy titles. Just a young guy grinding hard because he gave a damn.

In 2012, he got named a finalist for Young Australian of the Year. But for Daniel, that’s not the goal. The goal is making business a tool for good and proving that you don’t need to wait until you “make it” to make a difference.

What He’s Doing Now

Daniel’s not slowing down. He’s on stages across the country talking to leaders, teams, and business owners about how to flip the script, shake up the system, and do work that actually matters.

Whether he’s speaking on digital disruption or showing others how to build something remarkable, Daniel’s message is simple back yourself, think bigger, and use your business to do something that counts.

Image Credit: https://www.icmi.com.au/daniel-flynn/