Thankyou co-founder Daniel Flynn will share business story at Rise and Succeed in Albury

The co-founder of startup Thankyou said he was often trying to sell something to his primary school peers.

"My grandfather was a builder in Ballarat and we grew up with my family talking business around the dinner table," he said.

"From a pretty young age Mum says I was running around the schoolyard trying to sell things.

"I had a clean tackle box that I used to display Gobstoppers in to sell at primary school.

"Later I sold pet yabbies, which was probably not a great idea, and I had a car wash. By high school I got into currency trading."

At 19, Mr Flynn was studying in Melbourne when his career path took a sharp turn and he launched social enterprise, Thankyou, with his now wife Justine Flynn and friend Jarryd Burns in 2008.

"I was studying at RMIT and I thought I wanted to build big skyscrapers," Mr Flynn said.

"Then I came across startling statistics about kids who don't have access to clean water and the amount of bottled water consumed in the developed world. It was shocking!"

Within 15 years Thankyou product lines are stocked by major retailers in Australia, with every product contributing to helping end global poverty.

From the sales of its water, body care and food products, the company donates funds to safe water, hygiene and sanitation programs, and food security programs throughout the world.

Thankyou has raised more than $17 million to impact the lives of people across 22 nations.

Production began after an agreement with a factory that provided services at no upfront cost as well as a donation from Visy of 30,000 prototype bottles. Albury-based Mountain H20 was an early manufacturer of Thankyou bottled water too.

Thankyou expanded into New Zealand in June 2018 with their body care range.

In August 2020, Thankyou stopped producing bottled water, citing the negative environmental impact of the product as the reason.

Mr Flynn said their boldest marketing move was to get Coles and Woolworths on board to stock their products.

They flew helicopters (donated by benefactors) carrying banners over both Coles' Melbourne headquarters and Woolworths' Sydney headquarters with messages thanking the retailers for "changing the world (if you say yes)".

"Coles came on board within three hours and Woolworths followed," he said.

"It's been a heck of a ride!"

Mr Flynn will be among the speakers at a new business forum Rise and Succeed 2023 at Albury Entertainment Centre on September 23.

Other speakers will be Boost Juice founder Janine Allis; the youngest person in history to run an ultramarathon on seven continents Jacqui Bell; Mentored Media co-founder Matt Purcell; Peta Stewart Conveyancing owner Peta Stewart; and Greenstreat co-founder Jackson McGrath.

Tickets are on sale now at thatevent.co.

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