What is Ben Francis' backstory? In 2012, Francis juggled life as a student at Aston University while working as a Pizza Hut delivery man. Between shifts and lectures, he worked on a side project that let him combine his love for fitness with a growing interest in business.
Benjamin David Francis was born in the West Midlands, England in 1992 and grew up in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. He attended South Bromsgrove High School. He first became interested in computing after studying IT at school. His first business was an online company that sold car number plates.
Founded in June 2012 by Ben Francis and Lewis Morgan, the company was initially focused on selling fitness supplements, before distributing its own line of fitness wear. Gymshark reached a valuation of over £1 billion in 2020. Gymshark sells online and it opened its first retail store on Regent Street, London.
Ben Francis became Britain's youngest billionaire at only 28 thanks to his fitness apparel brand Gymshark, sported by the likes of Emma Roberts, Shay Mitchell and Chanel Iman.
Ben made the decision to step down as CEO in 2017, to allow him to continue to focus on the things that have always set Gymshark apart -- innovative design, creative content and consumer first thinking.
At age 19, Francis founded Gymshark out of his bedroom in his parents' house. Now the fitness apparel and accessories brand is one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.K. The Instagram-savvy brand's revenue reached $50 million last fiscal year and is expected to hit $120 million in 2018.
Ben Francis is the founder and CEO of Solihull, England-based sportswear brand Gymshark. Francis sold a 21% stake to private equity firm General Atlantic in August 2020, in a deal that valued the company at $1.45 billion; he owns 70%.
When Gymshark talked me through their vision to become the brand that brings the gym to the world, I knew that If I was going to partner with anyone, it had to be them. So, I'm happy to say I'm now a part owner of Gymshark.
Who owns YoungLA? Meet the Chopra brothers. Brothers Gurmer and Robby Chopra own YoungLA, a 2014-old brand. Their story from college graduates to successful entrepreneurs shows their clear vision and determination in the competitive fitness apparel industry.
Gymshark logo design by its original creator, Martin Williams. Discover the story behind the iconic shark head emblem and the process of crafting a world-famous brand mark.
Benjamin Peter Sherrington Shephard (born 11 December 1974) is an English television presenter and journalist who is currently the co-presenter of ITV's This Morning (2024–present), alongside Cat Deeley.
1. Princess Charlotte of Wales ($5B) Princess Charlotte. Charlotte, born in 2015 is the wealthiest royal grandchild of the current British monarch, King Charles III, and a powerful royal fashion influencer in her own right.
The Ben Francis Gymshark origin story sounds apocryphal. But it happens to be true. After Francis went to the gym in his hometown Solihull in the U. K's West Midlands, his intimidation at the macho etiquette eventually led him to become Britain's youngest billionaire.
Influencer marketing has been the backbone of Gymshark's digital strategy since its early days. Keep in mind, this company launched in the early days of social media influencers, as well. This was the start of GymShark's athlete community, which would eventually lead to the company's worldwide recognition.
