This is the youngest billionaire you've never heard of:
A pizza delivery driver who started with just £2,000.
And he did it by using a strategy that Nike, Adidas and Under Armour are still too proud to use.
Here's how Ben Francis turned Gymshark into fitness royalty: 🧵
A pizza delivery driver who started with just £2,000.
And he did it by using a strategy that Nike, Adidas and Under Armour are still too proud to use.
Here's how Ben Francis turned Gymshark into fitness royalty: 🧵
In 2012, Ben Francis was a Pizza Hut delivery boy while studying at university.
But his obsession was to be found between deliveries and classes:
Exploiting a MASSIVE gap in the fitness apparel industry:
But his obsession was to be found between deliveries and classes:
Exploiting a MASSIVE gap in the fitness apparel industry:
By 19, he'd already made 4 fitness apps and 7 websites - all failures.
Francis' daily routine was brutal:
• University by day
• Pizza delivery shifts 5PM-10PM (£4-5/hour)
• Sewing and screen printing until 4AM
• Repeat
His first "office"?
Francis' daily routine was brutal:
• University by day
• Pizza delivery shifts 5PM-10PM (£4-5/hour)
• Sewing and screen printing until 4AM
• Repeat
His first "office"?
His mom's garage, where he hand-sewed every single piece of gym wear.
His start-up capital was just his pizza delivery savings.
But his small presence in the space gave Ben an advantage over the established giants:
His start-up capital was just his pizza delivery savings.
But his small presence in the space gave Ben an advantage over the established giants:
Leveraging "unattractive" marketing.
Francis understood that fitness culture was changing rapidly and that consumers could attracted form new sources.
While Nike and Adidas chased traditional celebrity athletes, Ben noticed a new type of influencer emerging:
Francis understood that fitness culture was changing rapidly and that consumers could attracted form new sources.
While Nike and Adidas chased traditional celebrity athletes, Ben noticed a new type of influencer emerging:
Fitness YouTubers with massive, engaged audiences but ZERO brand deals.
Francis' plan was based on timing and authenticity.
He sent free Gymshark clothes to rising YouTube fitness stars - targeting those with 50-100K subscribers.
Cost per influencer?
Francis' plan was based on timing and authenticity.
He sent free Gymshark clothes to rising YouTube fitness stars - targeting those with 50-100K subscribers.
Cost per influencer?
About £30-£50.
The ROI? Would prove to be astronomical.
And it stemmed from genuine relationships with people he admired.
The strategy worked because it was authentic:
The ROI? Would prove to be astronomical.
And it stemmed from genuine relationships with people he admired.
The strategy worked because it was authentic:
Francis was a fan who watched every video from Scott Herman, Scooby, Matt Ogus, Chris Lavado, Jeff Seid, and Lex Griffin.
When he sent them products, it was simply one fitness enthusiast sharing with another.
2013: The breakthrough moment...
When he sent them products, it was simply one fitness enthusiast sharing with another.
2013: The breakthrough moment...
Revenue was growing but still small, so Francis invested everything into a booth at the Bodypower Expo in Birmingham.
He brought along his YouTube athlete friends and launched the Luxe fitted tracksuit.
Results weren't exactly mixed...
He brought along his YouTube athlete friends and launched the Luxe fitted tracksuit.
Results weren't exactly mixed...
The moment doors opened there was chaos around the booth.
Thousands of fans lined up in Gymshark apparel to meet their favorite fitness YouTubers.
With inventory selling out Ben thought: "We've made something incredible."
But success brought massive problems:
Thousands of fans lined up in Gymshark apparel to meet their favorite fitness YouTubers.
With inventory selling out Ben thought: "We've made something incredible."
But success brought massive problems:
2015: Black Friday disaster - the website completely crashed:
• Payments taken without products shipped
• Orders going out without payment
• Thousands of angry customers
The community that loved Gymshark was turning against them...
Francis' response revealed his character:
• Payments taken without products shipped
• Orders going out without payment
• Thousands of angry customers
The community that loved Gymshark was turning against them...
Francis' response revealed his character:
Instead of damage control, he hand-wrote over 1,000 apology letters.
Accountability rather than PR.
In the social media age, authenticity beats corporate perfection every time.
This moment tied in perfectly with the company's scaling strategy:
Accountability rather than PR.
In the social media age, authenticity beats corporate perfection every time.
This moment tied in perfectly with the company's scaling strategy:
1. Stay obsessively close to customer feedback
2. Build relationships, not transactions
3. Create community over corporate branding
4. Target influencers before they explode
5. Reinvest everything back into the business
In the wake of this, Francis made a controversial decision:
2. Build relationships, not transactions
3. Create community over corporate branding
4. Target influencers before they explode
5. Reinvest everything back into the business
In the wake of this, Francis made a controversial decision:
He stepped down as CEO, recognizing he wasn't ready to run a rapidly scaling company.
Instead, he spent 6 years learning, working as Chief Brand Officer, Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Product Officer.
Humility most founders lack.
He was vindicated in 2021:
Instead, he spent 6 years learning, working as Chief Brand Officer, Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Product Officer.
Humility most founders lack.
He was vindicated in 2021:
• Gymshark valued at $1.5 billion
• Revenue: £400+ million annually
• Francis owned 70% of the company
• Returns as CEO, now experienced and ready
Gymshark still operates from Birmingham, obsessed with fitness culture.
Here's the key difference from big brands:
• Revenue: £400+ million annually
• Francis owned 70% of the company
• Returns as CEO, now experienced and ready
Gymshark still operates from Birmingham, obsessed with fitness culture.
Here's the key difference from big brands:
While they focused on celebrity athletes costing millions.
Gymshark inspired people to get fit by focusing on authentic community builders.
Turns out influencers actually convinced people to buy and stay loyal.
Gymshark inspired people to get fit by focusing on authentic community builders.
Turns out influencers actually convinced people to buy and stay loyal.
Today, Gymshark:
• Has 1000+ employees globally
• Still exclusively direct-to-consumer online
• Competes with Nike, Adidas, Under Armour
• Has stores in London, Amsterdam and Dubai
• Ships worldwide from their Birmingham headquarters
The counterintuitive founder playbook:
• Has 1000+ employees globally
• Still exclusively direct-to-consumer online
• Competes with Nike, Adidas, Under Armour
• Has stores in London, Amsterdam and Dubai
• Ships worldwide from their Birmingham headquarters
The counterintuitive founder playbook:
• Authentically understand your customer
• Build genuine relationships at scale
• Have the humility to learn and grow
• Stay true to your core community
• Reinvest into your vision
Not bad for a pizza delivery guy equipped with a sewing machine and £2,000.
• Build genuine relationships at scale
• Have the humility to learn and grow
• Stay true to your core community
• Reinvest into your vision
Not bad for a pizza delivery guy equipped with a sewing machine and £2,000.
Ben Francis proved that in the age of social media, authentic passion and community building can beat billion-dollar marketing budgets.
Who said making noise in a garage was always a bad thing?
Who said making noise in a garage was always a bad thing?
Founders: We'll own your go-to-market motion, from content to pipeline.
Active clients include funded startups, exited founders and GTM leaders at billion-dollar companies.
If you're ready to break through the noise, let's chat:
mortonstreet.typeform.com/workwithus
Active clients include funded startups, exited founders and GTM leaders at billion-dollar companies.
If you're ready to break through the noise, let's chat:
mortonstreet.typeform.com/workwithus
Thanks for reading!
I'm Fox, founder of @mortonstreetai, a growth studio for startups, founders and GTM leaders who want to build authority online + generate pipeline.
If you want more breakdowns like this, follow me @foxlorber.
I'm Fox, founder of @mortonstreetai, a growth studio for startups, founders and GTM leaders who want to build authority online + generate pipeline.
If you want more breakdowns like this, follow me @foxlorber.
Media Sources:
gymshark.com/pages/about-us
youtube.com/watch?v=MpftE7…
youtube.com/watch?v=FVvM_u…
linkedin.com/in/gymshark/de…
youtube.com/watch?v=mgaGIS…
medium.com/illumination/g…
instagram.com/p/DH4BsPbIr2_/…
youtube.com/watch?v=ngZIuZ…
gymshark.com/pages/about-us
youtube.com/watch?v=MpftE7…
youtube.com/watch?v=FVvM_u…
linkedin.com/in/gymshark/de…
youtube.com/watch?v=mgaGIS…
medium.com/illumination/g…
instagram.com/p/DH4BsPbIr2_/…
youtube.com/watch?v=ngZIuZ…
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