How I Started Gymshark: The Journey Behind the UK's Fastest Growing Company

My name is Ben Francis, and I’m passionate about making things. One of the most significant creations of my life so far is Gymshark, a company I founded when I was just nineteen years old. Now, at twenty-four, Gymshark has evolved from a small startup into the UK's fastest growing company, and the journey has been nothing short of extraordinary. I want to take you through the story of Gymshark—how it began, the struggles we faced, and the leaps we took to build a brand that competes with some of the biggest names in fitness apparel.

Table of Contents

🌱 The Early Days: From Websites to a Vision

My entrepreneurial journey started early as a teenager when all I wanted to do was create websites. My first fully functioning website was a simple platform that sold license plates. The money I made from that project was my first taste of business success, and it came from buying plates and selling them online with friends.

Then, when I got my first iPhone, I was completely fascinated by it. I downloaded the iPhone SDK and started teaching myself how to develop apps. I created four iPhone apps, two of which were fitness-related and made it into the top charts in the UK and several other countries. These apps focused on helping users plan workouts and manage their fitness calendars—an early sign of my passion for fitness and tech combined.

After that, I launched a fitness social network called TwoTone.com. Although it gathered several thousand members, it didn’t get enough traffic to be sustainable. But every step was a learning experience that built toward Gymshark.

Finally, in 2012, I incorporated Gymshark with my friend Louis. At that time, I was juggling university, delivering pizzas for Pizza Hut, and spending every spare moment in the gym or working on Gymshark.

Ben talking about his first iPhone and app development

💡 Creative Solutions to Early Challenges

Starting a business with no money meant we couldn’t afford to hold stock. So, I came up with a creative solution: we listed every supplement imaginable on the Gymshark website, but we didn’t stock any of them ourselves. When customers placed orders, those orders were automatically sent to other retailers who drop-shipped the supplements directly to the customers. We added a small margin to make a profit.

It took about two months to make our first sale, but that milestone was crucial. This drop-shipping model allowed us to generate enough revenue to eventually stock other brands of clothing.

At this point, I realized there was nothing on the market that fit the vision I had for fitness apparel—clothing that was longer, stretchier, and more fitted. So we invested everything we had in a screen printer and a sewing machine and began designing our own fitness wear. Every Gymshark product was custom made by hand in those early days. I remember spending countless hours printing and sewing t-shirts, designing logos, and burning screens for printing.

Ben printing and sewing Gymshark t-shirts manually

🚀 Breaking Into the Market: The Body Power Expo Experience

One of the pivotal moments in Gymshark’s story was attending the Body Power Expo. When I first visited the expo, I noticed it was dominated by bodybuilders and felt it was missing something big—something fresh and exciting. I approached the show office and asked, "What can we afford? What can we get?" We emptied our bank account to secure floor space for the next year’s expo.

The following year was relentless. We worked nonstop packaging orders, printing, sewing—everything was handmade and custom. The hours were long, but it never felt like work because we were creating something we loved.

At the expo, we connected with fitness YouTubers like Scott Herman, Scooby, Matt Ogas, Chris Lovato, Jeff Side, Lex, and Alan Alarm. We sent them Gymshark products, and Lex became our first Gymshark athlete. His feedback and video showcasing our apparel was groundbreaking at the time, before influencer marketing was even a thing.

🔥 The Game Changer: Designing the Luxe Fitted Tracksuit

At the end of 2012, we designed what would become our flagship product—the Luxe Fitted Tracksuit. The minimum order quantity was so high that it cost us everything we had, but we believed in the product so much that we took the risk.

We received the first samples on Christmas Day 2012, and it was the most excited I had ever been. Holding a Gymshark product that we hadn’t physically made ourselves was incredible.

We invited our athlete friends to the Body Power Expo again, and the response was overwhelming. The moment the expo doors opened, our stand was flooded with people. It was unmanageable but exhilarating. We sold more in the first 30 minutes after putting the Luxe Tracksuit back on the website than we had in the entire history of Gymshark up to that point.

📈 Growth, Challenges, and Expansion

Over the next few years, Gymshark grew rapidly. We went on huge expo world tours and hired more staff to keep up with demand. Louis eventually moved on to pursue other interests.

We also launched our women’s range, which initially wasn’t great but has since become a vital part of our community and business. Bringing on our first female athlete, Nikki Blacketer, was a significant step, and we invested heavily in growing the Gymshark women's brand and community.

The recent launch of the Flex leggings demonstrated the explosive growth we are experiencing. We thought we had enough stock to last a couple of months, but they sold out in minutes. This has pushed us to focus even more on scaling production to meet demand.

🤝 Building the Team and Business Foundations

Running a fast-growing, international business at such a young age is incredibly challenging. I couldn’t do it alone. Paul and Steve, who run Gymshark alongside me, have been invaluable in helping me understand the importance of business structure, operations, and strong foundations.

It’s the combination of my front-end creativity and their back-end expertise that has allowed Gymshark to become an agile, well-structured company that continually invests in its people and products.

Today, we have over seventy staff in the UK, ship from Norway and Sweden, and operate internationally. Having a strong team means I can focus on what I love—creating and innovating—while ensuring the business runs smoothly.

🎯 Lessons Learned and Advice for Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Reflecting on the Gymshark journey, there are a few key lessons I’d like to share with anyone looking to start their own business:

  • Creativity is key: Be creative not only in your product design and marketing but also in your business model. Our drop-shipping approach in the early days was a lifeline that allowed us to grow without upfront inventory costs.
  • Be relentless: The early stages are tough. Long hours, manual work, and constant hustle are part of the process. But passion for what you create makes it feel less like work.
  • Leverage communities and influencers: Building relationships with influencers was a game changer for Gymshark. Authentic connections and feedback from industry leaders helped us reach new audiences.
  • Invest in structure: As your business grows, having a strong operational backbone is essential. Surround yourself with people who complement your skills.
  • Take risks: Sometimes you have to bet everything on a product or idea you believe in. The Luxe Tracksuit was a massive risk but it propelled Gymshark to new heights.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions About Gymshark

What inspired you to start Gymshark?

I was passionate about fitness and technology from a young age. After experimenting with websites and fitness apps, I saw an opportunity to create fitness apparel that I wanted to wear but couldn’t find anywhere. That desire sparked Gymshark.

How did you manage to start Gymshark with little money?

We used a drop-shipping model to sell supplements without holding stock, which helped us generate initial revenue. Then, we reinvested everything into making our own custom fitness apparel.

How did influencer marketing play a role in Gymshark’s growth?

We sent our products to fitness YouTubers who were genuine fans of our brand. Lex was our first athlete, and his video review helped us reach a larger audience. This early influencer marketing helped us build credibility and grow quickly.

What was the turning point for Gymshark?

The launch of the Luxe Fitted Tracksuit was a major turning point. Despite the high cost and risk, it was a product that truly resonated with our audience and led to explosive growth.

How do you balance creativity and business operations?

It’s a team effort. I focus on product design and marketing, while Paul and Steve manage the business structure and operations. Together, we create a balance that keeps Gymshark agile and innovative.

📦 Behind the Scenes: A Glimpse Into Gymshark’s Operations

Running a fast-paced business means constant activity behind the scenes. From packing orders to printing designs, every part of the process is critical to delivering quality products to our customers.

We’ve innovated simple yet effective solutions like the “short dispenser” for our stringers, which saves space and speeds up order fulfillment. Our warehouse is always buzzing with activity as we prepare stock to keep up with growing demand.

Gymshark printing and packaging process

Every t-shirt is folded carefully using our unique method to ensure it looks perfect when it reaches the customer. Attention to detail is everything.

Tutorial on folding Gymshark t-shirts

We are constantly improving our workspace, adding more racking and optimizing our printing and packaging stations to increase efficiency as we scale.

Gymshark warehouse with racking and stock

🔮 Looking Ahead: The Future of Gymshark

The journey is far from over. We are taking big risks and making bold moves to compete with the biggest companies in the fitness apparel industry. Our focus remains on creating products we love and building a community that shares our passion.

With a growing international presence, a dedicated team, and a loyal customer base, Gymshark is positioned to continue its rapid growth and innovation. I’m excited to document this journey and share it as a source of inspiration and information for others.

If you have any questions or want to learn more about specific aspects of Gymshark, feel free to reach out or comment below. This story is just the beginning.

🙏 Final Thoughts and Thanks

I want to thank everyone who has supported Gymshark along the way, especially those who came out to the Gymshark World Tour and encouraged me to share this story. Your enthusiasm and belief in what we’re building mean the world to me.

This channel and this story are a documentation of my journey—a journey full of creativity, hard work, and passion. If you want to follow along, please like, comment, and subscribe. Thanks for reading and being part of the Gymshark story.