Ben Francis facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ben Francis
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Francis in 2022
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| Born |
Benjamin David Francis
4 June 1992 West Midlands, England
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| Education | South Bromsgrove High School |
| Alma mater | Aston University (dropped out) |
| Known for | Co-founder, CEO and majority owner of Gymshark |
| Spouse(s) |
Robin Gallant
(m. 2021) |
| Children | 2 |
Ben Francis is a British businessman. He is famous for starting Gymshark, a very popular company that sells fitness clothes and accessories. He co-founded Gymshark in 2012.
Ben Francis owns more than 70% of Gymshark. In April 2023, his share of the company was worth about $1.3 billion. This made him one of the richest people in the world, appearing on Forbes magazine's list of billionaires.
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Ben Francis's Early Life
Benjamin David Francis was born in the West Midlands, England, in 1992. He grew up in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. He went to South Bromsgrove High School.
He first became interested in computers after studying IT at school. His very first business was an online shop that sold car number plates. As a teenager, Ben started going to the gym. He learned that being consistent and working hard at the gym could help him in other parts of his life too. In 2010, he started studying international business at Aston University. He left university in 2012 to focus on his business.
Ben Francis's Career Journey
Before starting Gymshark, Ben Francis created two fitness apps. These apps were called Fat Loss Abs Guide and iPhysique. While he was at university, from 2010 to 2013, he also worked as a delivery boy for Pizza Hut. He earned £5 an hour. He stopped working there six months after he launched Gymshark.
Starting Gymshark
In 2012, when he was just 19, Ben Francis launched Gymshark. He started it in his parents' garage with his school friend, Lewis Morgan. At first, the website only sold fitness supplements. Ben couldn't afford to buy a lot of products or make deals with suppliers. So, he started by selling products directly from other companies, which is called dropshipping. It took him six weeks to make his first sale!
In 2013, Ben decided to sell fitness clothing instead of just supplements. He started designing and selling clothes on Gymshark's website. He made the products himself in his parents' garage in Bromsgrove. He bought a sewing machine and a screen printer with £1,000 he had saved. His grandmother taught him how to sew.
Gymshark's Growth
In 2013, Ben showed Gymshark's products at a big fitness event called BodyPower in Birmingham. After the event, a tracksuit he designed became super popular online, going viral on Facebook. This led to £30,000 in sales in just 30 minutes! After this success, Ben left university and quit his Pizza Hut job to work on Gymshark full-time.
To make the brand known, Ben worked with people who were popular on social media. These were called social media influencers, like bodybuilders Nikki Blackketter and Lex Griffin. Gymshark was one of the first companies to use social media influencers so much.
In 2015, Ben stepped down as the main boss (CEO) of Gymshark. He took on new roles focusing on marketing, brand, and product design. He said this would help the company grow even faster. In 2018, Gymshark opened a new, large headquarters in Solihull, West Midlands. In 2019, Gymshark also opened its own gym and a special place for new ideas.
Since 2016, Gymshark has been on The Sunday Times Fast Track list. This list shows private companies that are growing very quickly. Today, Gymshark sells its products in 131 different countries around the world.
In August 2020, a company called General Atlantic bought a part of Gymshark. This deal showed that Gymshark was worth more than £1 billion. Ben Francis still owns over 70% of the company. In August 2021, he returned to being the CEO of Gymshark.
In 2018, Ben Francis was named one of Forbes magazine's "30 Under 30" list. This list highlights successful young people. In 2019, he joined the UK Government's Business Council for Entrepreneurs. In 2020, he won the EY UK Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Ben Francis was also given an award called Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2023 for his great work in business.
Ben Francis's Personal Life
Ben Francis loves cars and motorcycles. He is also a big fan of the football team Aston Villa. He and his girlfriend, Robin Gallant, got engaged in April 2021. They got married on September 9, 2021.
On September 8, 2022, Ben announced that they were going to have twins. Their twin sons were born on December 24, 2022. In July 2024, the couple shared that they were expecting another child.
