How BROKE TEENAGER built a $500 Million fitness brand

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Imagine you’re a college dropout with a passion for fitness and a sewing machine in your bedroom.

What would you do?

Would you give up on your dreams and settle for a boring job?

Or would you use your skills and creativity to create something amazing?

Something that would change your life and the lives of millions of people around the world?

Something like this:

That’s exactly what Ben Francis did.

He’s the founder of Gymshark, a company that sells fitness apparel and accessories for men and women.

He started his business in 2012, with nothing but a sewing machine, a screen printer, and a laptop in his bedroom.

And now, he has a revenue of over $500 million and a fan base of over 12 million followers on social media.

But, how did he do it?

Let me take you on a journey through his incredible story.

A story of passion, perseverance, and vision. And story that will inspire you to pursue your own dreams and goals.

Are you ready?

The first thing Ben did was to focus on his niche and his community.

He identified a gap in the market for stylish and functional fitness clothing, built a community of loyal customers and influencers, and knew his audience was looking for a lifestyle.

They wanted to be part of a movement that empowered them to achieve their fitness goals and live their best lives.

So he created a brand that reflected that…

He named it Gymshark, a combination of gym and shark, to symbolize strength, speed, and agility.

Ben also came up with a catchy slogan: “Be a visionary”.

He wanted his brand to stand out from the crowd and inspire people to be BOLD and AMBITIOUS.

But how did he get people to notice his brand and buy his products?

He leveraged the power of social media and content marketing. He used platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat to showcase his products and his brand personality.

Ben also created engaging content such as workouts, challenges, tips, and behind-the-scenes videos that inspired and entertained his audience.

He wore his Gymshark products in every post and showed off his designs and his quality.

That was a really smart move.

He also reached out to other fitness influencers and celebrities. He offered them free products in exchange for promotion.

He sent them messages and emails. Followed them and commented on their posts, he was persistent and polite. He didn’t spam or beg, just offered value and asked for support.

Some of them ignored him or rejected him. But some of them accepted his offer and agreed to work with him.

They posted photos and videos of themselves wearing Gymshark products. They tagged him and mentioned him in their captions.

They gave him shoutouts and endorsements. They introduced him to their followers and fans.

They helped him spread the word about Gymshark, helped him grow his audience, and reached new markets.

And His business started to take off… 

His website started to get more visitors and more orders.

His products started to sell out faster than he could even IMAGINE.

He couldn’t keep up with the demand by himself. He needed help.

So he hired some people to help him out. He hired some friends, some family members, some freelancers, some contractors.

Ben also moved out of his bedroom and into a bigger space, he rented a warehouse where he could store his inventory and ship his orders.

And invested in better equipment and materials.

Ben also improved his website and his marketing funnel.

He used data and analytics to test and optimize every aspect of his website, from the design to the navigation to the checkout process.

He used email marketing, SMS marketing, and live chat to communicate with his customers and provide them with the best possible experience, he added some features and benefits to his website, such as free shipping, free returns, discounts, loyalty programs, and reviews.

He made his website easy to use, attractive, and persuasive.

These improvements helped him increase his conversion rate and his customer retention rate.

His business continued to grow and scale.

His revenue increased from $500k in 2013 to $500 million in 2023.

His fan base increased from a few thousand to over 12 million on social media.

Ben’s products reached over 180 COUNTRIES around the world.

His product line expanded to include more than 200 different items, such as leggings, hoodies, sports bras, shorts, bags, bottles, and more.

Ben also launched new collections and collaborations with celebrities and athletes, such as Steve Cook, Whitney Simmons, David Laid, and more…

He sponsored major events and competitions, such as BodyPower Expo, Arnold Classic, and Mr. Olympia.

He opened his physical stores in London, New York, Los Angeles, and more.

He created his own app and podcast to connect with his customers and provide them with more VALUE and CONTENT. Launched his own charity foundation to support causes that he cared about, such as mental health, education, and the environment.

Ben won several awards and recognitions for his achievements and innovations, such as Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies, Forbes’ 30 Under 30, EY Entrepreneur of the Year, and more.

He achieved all this in less than a DECADE.

And he did it all with a passion for fitness.

This is one of the most inspiring ecommerce stories I have ever heard.

It shows that anything is possible if you have a dream, a plan, and a drive.

It also shows that you can create a successful business around something that you love and are passionate about.

Your passion is not just a hobby, it’s a potential source of income and impact.

You should be proud of your passion and what it represents.

You should also be proud of yourself for taking the initiative to learn more about ecommerce and how to grow your business.

You have the potential to achieve great things, just like Gymshark did.

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