# Gymshark: Ben Francis.  From pizza delivery to billion-dollar fitness brand.

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2025-11-17
- Length: 1h 16m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-11-17-gymshark-ben-francis-from-pizza-delivery-to-billion-dollar-fitness-brand

## Summary

Ben Francis, co-founder of Gymshark, explains how he built a billion-dollar fitness brand starting from his bedroom in the UK, initially selling drop-shipped supplements before pivoting to apparel. He details the strategic decision to partner with early YouTube bodybuilders for organic growth, the design of physique-accentuating tracksuits, and the painful breakup with co-founder Lewis Morgan. Francis also describes his 'apprenticeship' model of learning operations and leadership by hiring experienced mentors like Steve Hewitt, eventually taking over as CEO to scale the company globally.

## Chapters

- [0:00](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-11-17-gymshark-ben-francis-from-pizza-delivery-to-billion-dollar-fitness-brand#t=0) Introduction: Ben Francis and Gymshark
- [4:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-11-17-gymshark-ben-francis-from-pizza-delivery-to-billion-dollar-fitness-brand#t=250) Early Ventures and the Pivot to Apparel
- [19:52](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-11-17-gymshark-ben-francis-from-pizza-delivery-to-billion-dollar-fitness-brand#t=1192) The Body Power Expo and YouTube Influencers
- [35:35](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-11-17-gymshark-ben-francis-from-pizza-delivery-to-billion-dollar-fitness-brand#t=2135) Scaling Operations and Hiring Steve Hewitt
- [47:21](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-11-17-gymshark-ben-francis-from-pizza-delivery-to-billion-dollar-fitness-brand#t=2841) Product Evolution and Co-founder Split
- [59:08](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-11-17-gymshark-ben-francis-from-pizza-delivery-to-billion-dollar-fitness-brand#t=3548) Leadership Growth and Global Expansion
- [1:03:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2025-11-17-gymshark-ben-francis-from-pizza-delivery-to-billion-dollar-fitness-brand#t=3820) Billion-Dollar Valuation and Future Vision

## Topics

- [Direct-to-consumer & e-commerce](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/direct-to-consumer)
- [Marketing & brand](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/marketing-and-brand)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)
- [Pricing, margins & unit economics](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/pricing-and-unit-economics)

## Most relevant to

founders before launch, early-stage companies, companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Gymshark (company)
- Shopify (tool)
- Steve Hewitt (other)
- Lewis Morgan (other)
- Lululemon (company)
- General Atlantic (company)
- Dudley Stevens (company)

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- [Founder Feature - Fane He and Kyle Nguyen of  The Lucky Ox](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2025-06-20-founder-feature-fane-he-and-kyle-nguyen-of-the-lucky-ox) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [006: Customizable swimwear with Kelsey Duffy of Versakini](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-04-19-006-customizable-swimwear-with-kelsey-duffy-of-versakini) (Product Startup)
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- [Shark Tank, Sea Moss, and an Ocean of Potential with Alexiou Gibson (2022)](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-01-03-shark-tank-sea-moss-and-an-ocean-of-potential-with-alexiou-gibson-2022) (The Startup CPG Podcast)

## Citing this page

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