Ben F
Founder of Gymshark
0
Fundraising
I'm Ben Francis, Founder and CEO of Gymshark, a fitness apparel brand I started in 2012 from my parents’ garage when I was 19 years old. What began as a side hustle — screen-printing gym gear between university lectures and pizza delivery shifts — has grown into a global billion-dollar company with a massive community of athletes and creators worldwide. I'm passionate about building brands with purpose, scaling teams without losing culture, and pushing the boundaries of entrepreneurship. I believe in leading from the front — whether that's in the gym, the boardroom, or driving innovation in an industry that thrives on authenticity and ambition.
Accomplishments
- Founded Gymshark at age 19 while studying at Aston University and working as a pizza delivery driver.
- Grew Gymshark from a garage start-up into a global fitness brand valued at over $1.45 billion.
- Built a community-driven brand — pioneering influencer marketing in fitness.
- Transitioned from CEO to Chief Brand Officer in 2017, then reclaimed the CEO role in 2021 to lead the next phase of growth.
- Oversaw Gymshark becoming one of the fastest-growing companies in the UK — with offices in the UK, US, Hong Kong, and beyond.
- Created the iconic Gymshark Lifting Club — a physical gym and innovation hub to fuel brand culture.
- Led Gymshark to become one of the first direct-to-consumer fitness brands to achieve true cult status globally.
- Named to the Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Retail & E-commerce.
What I can advise on
- Starting a business from scratch with minimal capital.
- Building a global brand rooted in authenticity and community.
- Scaling a direct-to-consumer (DTC) company in a hyper-competitive market.
- Leveraging influencer marketing before it becomes mainstream.
- Creating brand loyalty without traditional advertising.
- Transitioning leadership roles to match different growth stages.
- Growing a company without losing startup culture.
- Balancing product innovation with operational scale.
- Leading a young, ambitious team while staying grounded.
- Navigating brand evolution without alienating early adopters.
- Building a fitness brand that transcends “fitness” and becomes lifestyle.
What to expect
- Ask 3 or more questions.
- Tips on starting a company from scratch with limited resources.
- Advice on getting your first 10,000 customers through community and authenticity.
- Growth hacks to jumpstart traction and scale without losing brand identity.
1.1 Expert call with Ben F
1.1 Expert call with Ben F
From £ 300
per session
Pick a duration
Quick - 15 mins
Cool - 30 mins
Compact - 45 mins
Deep - 60 mins
£ 300
per session