"Bottled water is kind of a dumb product, I always say it, and it is, we shouldn't be paying 3 or 4 dollars for it, but we are."
It seems like an ironic observation from Daniel Flynn, who sells the stuff - but when he founded Thankyou, he had his eye on projects, not profits.
A portion of the sale of each bottle of Thankyou water contributes to projects that provide water to some of more than 700 million people in the world who lack access to it.
"I got really confronted by the world water crisis. I watched kids who lost brothers and sisters, from water-borne disease. So literally water that they're spending half a day or a whole day collecting for their family, it's killing those who they love most."
Daniel Flynn wants to help provide water to the 700 million people without access. Source: SBS Small Business Secrets
The then 19-year-old Daniel and his co-founders pooled $1000 and began pounding the pavement to bring their cause to potential investors.
"As we presented, we learnt more about just how much funding we'd need. And it's big money. Six figures, hundreds of thousands. We didn't have funding yet, and we're thinking, maybe if we landed a pitch, it would help the funding. It's almost like cart before the horse stuff. The pitch went well, we had an order for 50,000 units. In the first meeting! And we were shocked."
But then their journey took a very sharp turn in the wrong direction - their first launch was a product recall.
Thankyou has recently launched its products in New Zealand. Source: SBS Small Business Secrets
Their second launch saw a factory delay cost them 300 of their 350 customers and a distributor's bankruptcy saw their third launch fail, too.
"The two retailers came back saying no. Then they both came out with their own bottle of water, that went to funding water projects."
Despite three years of continued setbacks - Thankyou water eventually got off the ground and their water gained traction in a flooded market.
"At Thankyou, the point of difference is, when you chose thank you, all the profit will go to fund a program, and not just somewhere, we actually give you a unique tracker code, that you can zoom in, seeing GPS coordinates, on Google Earth you can see the program."
Body care products and muesli are now part of the mix, contributing to food programs for communities in need.
A photographic reminder of the individuals and communities Thankyou aims to help sits in their office. Source: Supplied
Through NGO partners, Thankyou now helps fund sanitation and food projects in more than 400 communities across fifteen countries, impacting almost 200 thousand people.
"Year three, we'd raised 50 grand profit, for our water projects. By year five, we'd raised $500,000. So huge growth. We put on staff, we got sustainable, we got paid to do our job which was awesome."
But though their concept was working, they still weren't stocked in the two major supermarkets who share 70 percent of the market.
Their solution was to launch a social media campaign to convince Coles and Woolworths to put their products on their shelves.
It worked, and eight years, Thankyou has raised $4.69 million in profit they've distributed.
Linking with major supermarket chains was a turning point for the enterprise. Source: SBS Small Business Secrets
'And it is worth celebrating that, but I think to me, the exciting part is the exponential growth. 4.1 million of that, is in our last two and half, three years on an eight-year journey."
They now 46 products on the market, and Daniel says every one of his 47 staff have contributed to that growth.
The team is close - they exercise together, they celebrate birthdays together.
"I think team is so important. We're in this together. And you know they say you're only as strong as your weakest link. Let's make sure we all back each other in."
'Chapter One' is among Thankyou's latest projects, it's a book chronicling the social enterprise's inception, growth and inspirations.
It's a pay-what-you-want model, and though the odd customer has spent just 50 cents on it, others have paid $2,000 for a single copy.
Thankyou's book Chapter One doesn't have a recommended retail price - it sold by a pay-what-you-want model. Source: Supplied
Thankyou have sold more than 50 thousand copies, raising $1.7million in profit, which has helped fund their baby range and their next project.
"The next step is New Zealand. It's a huge step for us and we launch in March there, and we hope that NZ backs it. If they do, now we've got two countries on board. Maybe one day there could be three. Four. Five."
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