Ben Francis Explained

Ben Francis
Birth Name:Benjamin David Francis
Birth Date:4 June 1992
Birth Place:West Midlands, England
Education:South Bromsgrove High School
Alma Mater:Aston University (dropped out)
Known For:Co-founder, CEO and majority owner of Gymshark
Spouse:Robin Gallant (m. 2021)
Children:2

Benjamin David Francis (born June 4, 1992) is a British businessman. He is the co-founder, CEO and majority owner of Gymshark, a fitness apparel and accessories company founded in 2012.[1]

With a stake of over 70% in Gymshark which is currently valued by investors at $1.45 billion, Francis had a net worth of $1.3 billion as of April 2023.[2] In April 2023, he made his debut on Forbes' annual The World's Billionaires list as the 2,259th richest person in the world.[3]

Early life

Benjamin David Francis[4] [5] was born in the West Midlands, England in 1992[6] [7] and grew up in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.[8] He attended South Bromsgrove High School.[9] He first became interested in computing after studying IT at school.[10] His first business was an online company that sold car number plates.[11] Francis started going to the gym as a teenager. He later said "the structure, consistency and work ethic I found in the gym I realised, could be applied to different areas of my life and it would work".[10] In 2010, he studied international business and management at Aston University. He has said his time at university gave him "a strong foundation on which to build a business".[12] He dropped out in 2012 to focus on Gymshark full-time.[13]

Career

Before launching Gymshark, Francis developed two fitness applications, Fat Loss Abs Guide and .[10] While at university between 2010 and 2013, he worked for Pizza Hut as a delivery boy earning £5 an hour.[14] He left six months after launching Gymshark.[15]

Gymshark

In 2012, aged 19, he launched Gymshark in his parents' garage with school friend Lewis Morgan.[9] [16] The website initially sold fitness supplements.[13] Unable to afford to buy stock or secure distribution deals with supplement suppliers, he began dropshipping supplies from other vendors and it took him six weeks to make his first sale.[17] In 2013, branching out from supplements, Francis began designing and selling fitness apparel on Gymshark's website.[13] He began manufacturing the products from his parents' garage in Bromsgrove, using a sewing machine and screen printer he bought with £1,000 of savings.[18] [19] He learned how to sew from his grandmother.[20]

In 2013, he exhibited Gymshark's products at the BodyPower fitness trade show in Birmingham.[18] After the trade show ended, a tracksuit went viral on Facebook, generating £30,000 in sales within 30 minutes.[18] Francis later left university and quit his job at Pizza Hut to focus on the company full-time.[15] As a start-up, Francis marketed the brand through partnering with social media influencers, including body builders Nikki Blackketter and Lex Griffin.[13] Gymshark was one of the first brands to make extensive use of social media influencers.[18]

In 2015, Francis stepped down as CEO of the company to become chief marketing officer, chief brand officer and chief product officer.[21] [22] At the time, he said the move would allow the company "to grow even more quickly" and give him time to "work on my weaknesses and become a more rounded businessperson".[23] In 2018, Gymshark opened a new £5 million headquarters in Solihull, West Midlands.[24] [25] In 2019, Gymshark opened its own branded gym and innovation hub.[26] Since 2016, Gymshark has been listed on The Sunday Times Fast Track of fast-growing private companies.[27] The company currently sells products in 131 countries.[28]

In August 2020, Gymshark sold a 21% stake to US private equity firm General Atlantic in a deal which valued the company in excess of £1 billion.[29] Francis currently owns more than 70% of the company, which is worth £700 million.[1] In August 2021, he returned to the role of the company's CEO.[30]

In 2018, Francis was included on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list.[31] [32] In 2019, Francis served on the UK Government's Business Council for Entrepreneurs.[33] [34] In 2020, Francis was awarded the EY UK Entrepreneur of the Year Award.[35] Francis was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to the business sector.[36]

Personal life

Francis is a car and motorcycle enthusiast, and a season ticket holder at Aston Villa. He and his girlfriend Robin Gallant became engaged in April 2021, and married on 9 September 2021.[37] On 8 September 2022, Francis announced that they were expecting twins.[38] Their twin sons were born on 24 December 2022.[39] In July 2024 the couple announced they were expecting another child. [40]

Notes and References

  1. News: Onita. Laura. 14 August 2020. Entrepreneur behind Gymshark worth £700m after blockbuster deal. en-GB. The Telegraph. 17 August 2020. 0307-1235. 17 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200817003825/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business/2020/08/14/entrepreneur-behind-gymshark-worth-700m-blockbuster-deal/. live.
  2. Ben Francis. Forbes. 22 April 2023. 22 April 2023.
  3. Web site: From Bodybuilder To Billionaire: How Gymshark Founder Ben Francis Built A Sportswear Unicorn. Forbes. Giacomo. Tognini. 5 April 2023. 22 April 2023. 22 April 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230422100342/https://www.forbes.com/sites/giacomotognini/2023/04/05/from-bodybuilder-to-billionaire-how-gymshark-founder-ben-francis-built-a-sportswear-unicorn/?sh=10f5d5e72ab0. live.
  4. Web site: 4 January 2023 . The best gym wear for men . 24 December 2023 . Luxury London . en-GB . 24 December 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20231224160436/https://luxurylondon.co.uk/wellbeing/health/the-best-activewear-brands-most-stylish-gym-clothes-workout-gear-for-men/ . live .
  5. Web site: 31 December 2022 . New Year Honours List—United Kingdom . . 24 December 2023 . 30 June 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230630182157/http://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/63918/data.pdf . live .
  6. Web site: Tognini . Giacomo . 5 April 2023 . From Bodybuilder To Billionaire: How Gymshark Founder Ben Francis Built A Sportswear Unicorn . 24 December 2023 . . en . 22 April 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230422134601/https://www.forbes.com/sites/giacomotognini/2023/04/05/from-bodybuilder-to-billionaire-how-gymshark-founder-ben-francis-built-a-sportswear-unicorn/ . live .
  7. Web site: 5 May 2020 . About Ben Francis . 24 December 2023 . Ben Francis . en . 21 October 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201021203416/https://www.benfrancis.com/business/about/ . live .
  8. Web site: Balloo. Stephanie. 15 August 2020. Gymshark founded by ex pizza delivery boy valued at over £1billion. 17 August 2020. BirminghamLive. 30 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200830141959/https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/gymshark-set-up-bromsgrove-ex-18774914. live.
  9. News: Harris . Tristan . Former South Bromsgrove High pupil Ben inspires class of 2019 on Gymshark visit . 14 August 2020 . The Bromsgrove Standard . 22 March 2019 . 7 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200807145315/https://bromsgrovestandard.co.uk/news/former-south-bromsgrove-high-pupil-ben-inspires-class-of-2019-on-gymshark-visit/ . live .
  10. Web site: 5 May 2020. About Ben Francis. 17 August 2020. Ben Francis. en. 21 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201021203416/https://www.benfrancis.com/business/about/. live.
  11. Web site: Rhys. Steffan. 19 May 2020. The 27-year-old from Bromsgrove who's already worth well over £100 million. 17 August 2020. BirminghamLive. 26 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201026055101/https://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/ben-francis-gymshark-worth-138-18267332. live.
  12. Web site: Former student's sportswear business is booming. 17 August 2020. Aston University. en-GB. 21 February 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240221134103/https://www.aston.ac.uk/latest-news. live.
  13. News: Bearne . Suzanne . 1 October 2018 . The 26-year-old with a £100m sportswear brand . en-GB . BBC News . 17 August 2020 . 19 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200819212919/https://www.bbc.com/news/business-45246999 . live .
  14. News: 14 August 2020 . Ex-pizza delivery boy's gym firm worth over £1bn . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230304121153/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53781515 . 4 March 2023 . 14 August 2020 . BBC News.
  15. News: Barrie . Thomas . Gymshark founder Ben Francis's tips for success . 14 August 2020 . GQ . 17 February 2020 . 19 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200819004322/https://www.gq-magazine.co.uk/lifestyle/article/gymshark-ben-francis-tips . live .
  16. News: Armstrong. Ashley. Ben Francis: fitness fanatic builds Gymshark into a £1bn business. The Times. en. 17 August 2020. 0140-0460. 4 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230304175706/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/gym-clothing-pioneer-and-fitness-fanatic-builds-gymshark-into-a-1bn-business-mgvjczjnn. live.
  17. Web site: Lee. Robert. 3 June 2020. Gymshark Entrepreneur Ready to Take on the U.S.. 17 August 2020. Medium. en. 28 June 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20220628185007/https://medium.com/inspirational-tech-stories/28-year-old-gymshark-entrepreneur-ben-francis-ready-to-take-on-the-u-s-c1d1c3023c74. dead.
  18. News: Times. The Sunday. How Gymshark founder Ben Francis created his sportswear empire. The Times. en. 17 August 2020. 0140-0460. 4 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230304164152/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/gymshark-founder-ben-francis-story-2jm7d2trk. live.
  19. Web site: Gymshark: Ex-pizza delivery boy's fitness wear brand valued at over £1bn. 17 August 2020. Sky News. en. 18 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200818150623/https://news.sky.com/story/gymshark-ex-pizza-delivery-boys-fitness-wear-brand-valued-at-over-1bn-12049635. live.
  20. Web site: Cook. Jodie. How Gymshark Became A $1.3 Billion Brand, And What We Can Learn. 13 September 2020. Forbes. en. 21 February 2024. https://web.archive.org/web/20240221134101/https://www.forbes.com/sites/jodiecook/2020/08/17/how-gymshark-became-a-13bn-brand-and-what-we-can-learn/. live.
  21. News: Evans. Peter. Interview: Gymshark boss Steve Hewitt on his 'field of dreams'. The Times. en. 17 August 2020. 0140-0460. 15 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200815092040/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/interview-gymshark-boss-steve-hewitt-on-his-field-of-dreams-7pddlcsl5. live.
  22. Web site: Works. FastCo. 11 May 2020. How to make the most of your data—and empower your workforce. 17 August 2020. Fast Company. en-US. 20 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200820092546/https://www.fastcompany.com/90503549/how-to-make-the-most-of-your-data-and-empower-your-workforce. live.
  23. Web site: Media. Insider. Gymshark founder reveals reasons behind stepping down as CEO. 17 August 2020. Insider Media Ltd. en. 26 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201026080022/https://www.insidermedia.com/news/midlands/gymshark-founder-reveals-reasons-behind-stepping-down-as-ceo. live.
  24. Web site: 19 June 2018. A Look Inside Gymshark's New HQ. 17 August 2020. Officelovin'. en-US. 26 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201026102118/https://www.officelovin.com/2018/06/19/a-tour-of-gymsharks-new-hq/. live.
  25. Web site: Geoghegan. Jill. 10 April 2018. Gymshark launches new UK HQ. 17 August 2020. Drapers. en. 4 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210804135957/https://www.drapersonline.com/news/gymshark-launches-new-uk-hq. live.
  26. Web site: Jones. Tamlyn. 18 February 2020. Gymshark expands head office base in Solihull. 17 August 2020. Business Live. 23 October 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20201023105852/https://www.business-live.co.uk/commercial-property/gymshark-expands-head-office-base-17762943. live.
  27. Web site: TWK. Fast Track. 17 August 2020. Fast Track. en-GB. 29 September 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200929075407/https://www.fasttrack.co.uk/company_profile/gymshark/. dead.
  28. Web site: About Gymshark. 17 August 2020. Gymshark UK. en-GB. 31 August 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200831211519/https://uk.gymshark.com/pages/about-us. live.
  29. Web site: Clothing brand Gymshark becomes UK's newest £1bn start-up. 17 August 2020. www.ft.com. 4 March 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230304014712/https://www.ft.com/content/6122628d-a309-4c33-a664-3fc799b0dee8. live.
  30. Web site: Hughes. Huw. 2 July 2021. Gymshark co-founder Ben Francis returns to CEO role. 9 August 2021. FashionUnited. en. 9 August 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20210809212708/https://fashionunited.uk/news/business/gymshark-co-founder-ben-francis-returns-to-ceo-role/2021070256366. live.
  31. Ben Francis . 17 August 2020 . Forbes . en . 4 March 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230304120318/https://www.forbes.com/profile/ben-francis/ . live .
  32. 30 Under 30 Europe 2018: Retail & Ecommerce . 17 August 2020 . Forbes . en . 10 August 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200810160722/https://www.forbes.com/30-under-30-europe/2018/retail-ecommerce/ . live .
  33. News: Bidders circle £1bn Gymshark as sports brand shrugs off virus . 17 August 2020 . Sky News . en . 12 September 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200912213143/https://news.sky.com/story/bidders-circle-1bn-gymshark-as-sports-brand-shrugs-off-virus-12024899 . live .
  34. Web site: Small Business, Scale ups and Entrepreneurs Business Council: 10 July 2019 . 17 August 2020 . GOV.UK . en . 6 July 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200706023111/https://www.gov.uk/government/news/small-business-council-10-july-2019 . live .
  35. Web site: Gymshark founder named EY Entrepreneur Of The Year™ 2020 UK winner . 22 February 2021 . www.ey.com . en-UK . 17 January 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210117130409/https://www.ey.com/en_uk/news/2020/12/gymshark-founder-named-ey-entrepreneur-of-the-year-2020-uk-winner . live .
  36. Web site: Gymshark founder Ben Francis awarded MBE . 6 December 2023 . Retail Gazette . 11 May 2023 . https://web.archive.org/web/20230511145533/https://www.retailgazette.co.uk/blog/2023/01/gymshark-founder-ben-francis-mbe/ . live .
  37. News: 23 September 2021 . Fairytale Wedding - Ben and Robin . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230204231420/https://www.clementsandchurch.co.uk/weddings/ben-robin/ . 4 February 2023 . 4 February 2023.
  38. Web site: Rudland . Frankie Michael . 8 September 2022 . Owner of Gymshark Ben Francis announces he's having twins! . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220915070700/https://gymfluencers.com/owner-of-gymshark-ben-francis-announces-hes-having-twins/ . 15 September 2022 . 4 February 2023 . en-UK.
  39. Web site: 21 April 2023 . Ben Francis: the rise of Solihull's Gymshark and the UK's youngest billionaire . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20230509101718/https://www.birminghamworld.uk/news/gymshark-ben-francis-solihull-birmingham-fitness-gym-4111934 . 9 May 2023 . 9 May 2023 . BirminghamWorld . en.
  40. Web site: Instagram . 2024-07-24 . www.instagram.com.

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