Leaders.com
  • Business
  • Leadership
  • Wealth
  • Master Classes
  • Business
    • Entrepreneurs
    • Executives
    • Marketing and Sales
    • Social Media
    • Innovation
    • Women in Business
  • Leadership
    • Personal Growth
    • Company Culture
    • Public Speaking
    • Productivity
    • Hiring
    • Social Issues
    • Leaders
  • Wealth
    • Investing
    • Cryptocurrency
    • Retirement
    • Venture Capital
    • Loans and Borrowing
    • Taxes
    • Markets
    • Real Estate
  • Master Classes
Entrepreneurs Gymshark's 'The Skin You Gym In Studio'

Gymshark's 'The Skin You Gym In Studio'(Photo by Craig Barritt/Getty Images for Gymshark)

By Savannah Young Leaders Staff

Savannah Young

News Writer

Savannah Young is a news writer for Leaders Media. Previously, she was a digital reporter for WATE Channel 6 (ABC)...

Full bio


Learn about our editorial policy

Apr 7, 2023

Lifting Up a Billion-Dollar Activewear Company

In 2012, Bodybuilder Ben Francis started sewing his own workout clothes, and by 2023 he had a company worth $1.2 billion and landed himself on Forbes 2023 World’s Billionaires List.

Key Details

  • Ben Francis is the 30-year-old founder and CEO of the athletic wear company Gymshark.
  • In 2020, the company was valued at $1.45 billion before selling a 21% stake to private equity firm General Atlantic. The following year, net income doubled to $68 million while revenue grew by 78% to $608 million, according to Forbes.
  • Today, Gymshark is worth over $1.2 billion, making Francis one of the youngest new entrepreneurs on Forbes 2023 World’s Billionaires List.

Why it’s news

Many people worldwide spend a lot of time in the gym, and most athletes have specific athletic wear they choose when working out. Some like loose-fitting clothing, and others like tight garments that show off their muscles. 

Ben Francis was a young entrepreneur with a strong passion for the gym and bodybuilding but found that none of the clothes he would buy suited his needs. He wanted clothes that fit tight and securely to define his muscles while working out.

He and another friend, Lewis Morgan, had a business selling supplements online under their brand Gymshark. The two would buy in bulk from vendors and make a small margin selling them to customers. 

To create the clothes he wanted, he and Morgan took the small amount of money they made from their supplements, purchased a screen printer and a sewing machine, and began stitching their fitness clothing from Francis’ parents’ garage, continuing the Gymshark brand, according to Forbes.

Around 10 months later, in 2013, the business partners rented a booth at BodyPower, Europe’s largest bodybuilding expo. “We were inundated with people who wanted to meet the athletes, wanted to see the product—and we sold out at the event,” says Francis.

After that, the company began to start making mass sales. They began sending clothes to weightlifting social media influencers to promote their brand, which sent daily sales soaring from $450 worth of merchandise a day to $45,000.

In 2018, the company opened its headquarters in Solihull, England. They started hosting pop-up events for fans to get exclusive merchandise later that year, Francis was featured on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 Europe List.

Sales began rising again at an average of 62% yearly since 2018. In August 2020, a year after Gymshark hit $214 million in revenue and $18 million in net income, General Atlantic purchased its 21% stake, according to Forbes.

Gymshark’s yearly growth is way above industry leaders such as Nike and Lululemon, who grow 7% and 26%, respectively, but the company still has a long stretch before reaching the $47 billion sales that Nike recorded last year, or Lululemon’s $8 billion.


Francis still has a 70% stake in the company worth $1.2 billion which has sent him to billionaire status, becoming one of the youngest faces on Forbes 2023 World’s Billionaires List.

Home / News / Lifting Up a Billion-Dollar Activewear Company
Share
FacebookTweetEmailLinkedIn

Related Stories

Seattle Takes The Crown For Advanced Tech Talent

by PJ Howland Leaders Staff
Tech

Oct 24, 2023

Seattle tech talent

Seattle has emerged as the metro area with the most advanced tech talent, beating out tech hubs like San Francisco and Silicon Valley.

Key Details

  • According to a new ranking by the Burning Glass Institute, Seattle has the highest proportion of advanced tech workers compared to other cities with similarly sized tech workforces.
  • The ranking evaluated 60 million high-paying, in-demand tech job postings and histories to identify cities with cutting-edge roles like AI and cybersecurity rather than legacy tech positions.
  • With tech giants Amazon and Microsoft headquartered in Seattle, the city edged out the San Francisco Bay Area, Boston, Austin, and Raleigh on the list.
  • The report found that demand for software developers and IT support specialists has declined over the past five years as companies seek more specialized tech talent.

Go deeper

FacebookTweetEmailLinkedIn

More Americans Can’t Keep Up With Car Payments

by Colin Baker Leaders Staff
Loans and Borrowing

Oct 23, 2023

car loans, used cars

A record number of Americans are behind on their car loan payments as higher interest rates and prices weigh on consumers.

Key Details

  • According to data from Fitch Ratings, 6.11% of car loans were at least 60 days delinquent in September, the highest since tracking began in the early 2000s.
  • Some interest rates on used cars can rise to as much as 21%, according to Bankrate.
  • Soaring prices and rising interest rates are squeezing consumers, making it difficult for some to keep up with their auto loans.

Go deeper

FacebookTweetEmailLinkedIn

Chevron Makes $53 Billion Deal Amid Surging Gas Prices

by PJ Howland Leaders Staff
Markets

Oct 23, 2023

Chevron Gas Deal

Chevron is acquiring Hess Corp. for $53 billion, the second significant oil producer acquisition this month as crude prices climb.

Key Details

  • Chevron is purchasing Hess in an all-cash deal worth $53 billion, including debt and preferred stock redemption.
  • This comes just weeks after ExxonMobil announced its $59.5 billion purchase of Pioneer Natural Resources.
  • With oil over $80 per barrel, major producers are using their windfall profits to acquire smaller players and boost payouts to shareholders.
  • Chevron expects the deal to close in H1 2023 pending regulatory approvals and Hess shareholder vote.
  • Hess CEO John Hess will join Chevron's board once the acquisition is complete.

Go deeper

FacebookTweetEmailLinkedIn
nike logo
Company Culture

Oct 20, 2023

Nike to Require More In-Office Days From Employees

by Colin Baker Leaders Staff
blue collar workers
Retirement

Oct 20, 2023

Explaining The ‘C+ Grade’ Retirement Ecosystem in The United States

by PJ Howland Leaders Staff
netflix building
Entertainment

Oct 19, 2023

Netflix Hiking Prices While Adding Millions of Subscribers

by Colin Baker Leaders Staff

Recent Articles

Hiring

Nov 1, 2023

Learn the Winning Answers to the Most Common Phone Interview Questions

Come to your next phone interview fully prepared

Personal Growth

Oct 30, 2023

85 Quotes on Self-Love to Boost Your Self-Esteem

Don’t fall into the trap of harsh self-criticism

Company Culture

Oct 27, 2023

What is a Sabbatical? Your Ticket to Restful Growth and Meaning

Sabbaticals can benefits both employees and businesses

  • Business
  • Leadership
  • Wealth
Join the Leaders Community

Get exclusive tools and resources you need to grow as a leader and scale a purpose-driven business.

Subscribing indicates your consent to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy

Leaders.com
  • Privacy Policy
  • About
  • Careers
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms
  • Disclosures
  • Editorial Policy
  • Member Login

© 2025 Leaders.com - All rights reserved.

Search Leaders.com