Look at this guy. • He delivered pizzas at Pizza Hut • Dropped out...
EDDIE CHENG@ecomEddie
48 views
Jul 17, 2024
~4 min read
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Look at this guy.
• He delivered pizzas at Pizza Hut
• Dropped out of uni
• Sold supplements out of his parents' garage
Now, he's worth $1.3 Billion—at 31.
The story of the youngest billionaire you've never heard of:
• He delivered pizzas at Pizza Hut
• Dropped out of uni
• Sold supplements out of his parents' garage
Now, he's worth $1.3 Billion—at 31.
The story of the youngest billionaire you've never heard of:
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@BenFrancis1992 learned the virtue of hard work at an early age.
His granddad laid furnaces for a living and he always took Ben to work with him.
Between mixing cement and laying bricks, he dished out business lessons.
Lessons that would shape Ben's future.
His granddad laid furnaces for a living and he always took Ben to work with him.
Between mixing cement and laying bricks, he dished out business lessons.
Lessons that would shape Ben's future.
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One story left a lasting mark on young Ben.
His granddad once risked everything—even remortgaging his house—on a big furnace job in Germany.
"If that company said no, he could well have lost the house."
It was his first taste of the risks entrepreneurs take.
His granddad once risked everything—even remortgaging his house—on a big furnace job in Germany.
"If that company said no, he could well have lost the house."
It was his first taste of the risks entrepreneurs take.
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Ben's mom worked in healthcare and his dad was often away for work. So money was always tight.
But his parents' tireless work ethic rubbed off on Ben.
He wanted to build something of his own one day—no matter what it took.
He just needed to find his passion…
But his parents' tireless work ethic rubbed off on Ben.
He wanted to build something of his own one day—no matter what it took.
He just needed to find his passion…
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As a skinny, shy teenager, Ben didn't fit in at school. Until, he discovered the gym at 16.
Finally, he had a place he belonged. Ben became obsessed, spending hours watching fitness YouTubers.
The gym gave his life new structure, discipline & motivation. It changed everything.
Finally, he had a place he belonged. Ben became obsessed, spending hours watching fitness YouTubers.
The gym gave his life new structure, discipline & motivation. It changed everything.
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Ben's grades shot up once he applied his gym mindset to academics. He went from a D student to straight A's.
An IT class soon gave him another obsession—tech.
He read books on coding, built apps, and websites in his spare time.
The seeds his grandad planted started to sprout.
An IT class soon gave him another obsession—tech.
He read books on coding, built apps, and websites in his spare time.
The seeds his grandad planted started to sprout.
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His first business idea was to dropship fitness supplements.
But after it took him 8 weeks to make his first sale and £2 in profit, he pivoted.
But after it took him 8 weeks to make his first sale and £2 in profit, he pivoted.
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At 19, Ben followed his dual passions for fitness & tech to start Gymshark.
His "office"? A garage at his parents' house.
His "inventory"? Workout gear he sewed himself on Grandma's machine.
While his mates hit the pub, Ben stitched stringers & packed orders till dawn.
His "office"? A garage at his parents' house.
His "inventory"? Workout gear he sewed himself on Grandma's machine.
While his mates hit the pub, Ben stitched stringers & packed orders till dawn.
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To fund the business, Ben took a job delivering pizzas for Pizza Hut.
He'd make deliveries from 5-10pm, squeeze in some customer service on his phone between orders.
Then work on Gymshark till 3 AM, only to do it all again the next day.
Sleep was not an option.
He'd make deliveries from 5-10pm, squeeze in some customer service on his phone between orders.
Then work on Gymshark till 3 AM, only to do it all again the next day.
Sleep was not an option.
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After months of hand-making products, Ben took his biggest risk yet:
Spending Gymshark's entire £5000 savings on a booth at a major fitness expo.
He also flew in several top fitness YouTubers.
The stakes were high. This had to work...
Spending Gymshark's entire £5000 savings on a booth at a major fitness expo.
He also flew in several top fitness YouTubers.
The stakes were high. This had to work...
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When the expo doors opened, Ben was still scrambling to set up the Gymshark booth.
All of a sudden, a stampede of fans rushed in, mobbing the stand to meet the YouTube stars.
Ben could barely keep up with demand. They sold out of everything.
Gymshark had lift-off.
All of a sudden, a stampede of fans rushed in, mobbing the stand to meet the YouTube stars.
Ben could barely keep up with demand. They sold out of everything.
Gymshark had lift-off.
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That night, Ben put the remaining stock on Gymshark's website.
He posted on social media, expecting few hundred pounds in sales.
30 minutes later, he'd sold £30,000—more than Gymshark's entire history.
Ben sat stunned in his parents' living room, processing what just happened.
He posted on social media, expecting few hundred pounds in sales.
30 minutes later, he'd sold £30,000—more than Gymshark's entire history.
Ben sat stunned in his parents' living room, processing what just happened.
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Over the next 18 months, Ben kept pushing all-in on Gymshark.
Each time they'd build up savings, he'd gamble it on huge inventory orders.
Once, he convinced a factory to send him shorts before he could afford to pay.
The shorts sold out in 48 hours. Gymshark kept rolling.
Each time they'd build up savings, he'd gamble it on huge inventory orders.
Once, he convinced a factory to send him shorts before he could afford to pay.
The shorts sold out in 48 hours. Gymshark kept rolling.
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But being scrappy & moving fast came at a cost.
On a Black Friday, the website crashed under a surge of traffic. Orders went missing. Furious customers lit up social media.
Ben stayed up for days handwriting 1000s of apology letters.
It was his baptism by fire as a leader.
On a Black Friday, the website crashed under a surge of traffic. Orders went missing. Furious customers lit up social media.
Ben stayed up for days handwriting 1000s of apology letters.
It was his baptism by fire as a leader.
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"That period was incredibly, incredibly tough."
But in typical fashion, he & the team doubled down & did damage control.
They rebuilt Gymshark's systems & processes from the ground up.
That experience laid the foundation for GymShark’s future.
But in typical fashion, he & the team doubled down & did damage control.
They rebuilt Gymshark's systems & processes from the ground up.
That experience laid the foundation for GymShark’s future.
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As Gymshark grew, Ben realized his shortcomings in key areas like management, ops & finance.
So he did what he knewbest.
In 2015, Ben voluntarily stepped down as CEO to allow a more experienced mentor take the reins.
So he did what he knewbest.
In 2015, Ben voluntarily stepped down as CEO to allow a more experienced mentor take the reins.
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Fast forward to today, Gymshark is one of the fastest-growing brands on the planet.
Valued at over $1.3 billion. Over 900 employees. Offices around the globe.
The best part? Ben still owns 70% of the company.
Valued at over $1.3 billion. Over 900 employees. Offices around the globe.
The best part? Ben still owns 70% of the company.
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Yet for Ben Francis, this is still Day 1.
His goal? To build Gymshark into an iconic global brand.
One that inspires people to improve physically & mentally, the same way the gym did for him.
His goal? To build Gymshark into an iconic global brand.
One that inspires people to improve physically & mentally, the same way the gym did for him.
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If you got something from this...
Join Eddie’s Extracts to get daily emails about how to achieve your goals quickly and effortlessly:
join.eddiecheng.com
Join Eddie’s Extracts to get daily emails about how to achieve your goals quickly and effortlessly:
join.eddiecheng.com
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Special thanks to the creators whose insights made this thread possible:
@Muliganbrothers
@StevenBartlett
@Muliganbrothers
@StevenBartlett