Ben Francis: Early Life and Influences

Early Life and Influences

• Ben Francis, founder and CEO of Gymshark, had a vision to create an iconic brand that inspires people globally
• He reflects on his early life, particularly his work experience with his grandfather, which taught him the value of hard work and risk-taking
• His grandfather's stories about business risks and challenges had a significant impact on Ben's business approach
• Ben's mother, a hard worker in the NHS, also influenced his strong work ethic

Education and Skills

• Ben was an average student, but a BTEC course in IT helped him develop practical skills, including using Photoshop, Dreamweaver, and Illustrator
• These skills were essential in building Gymshark, and he credits this course with helping him learn by doing

Entrepreneurial Journey

• Ben started Gymshark in 2012 with his brother and friends; they had a shared vision and worked together to build the business
• As the business grew, Ben realized he needed to surround himself with great people to take the company to the next level
• He admits to being arrogant initially, but learned to ask questions, seek mentorship, and work with others to achieve his vision

Learning and Growth

• Ben emphasizes the importance of learning from others, asking questions, and seeking guidance from those with more experience
• He believes having a growth mindset is crucial for entrepreneurs, as it allows them to adapt and evolve with their business
• He credits his learnings from playing World of Warcraft, where he learned about teamwork, economy, and trading, which translated to his business approach

Building a Team

• In the early days, Ben looked for ambitious individuals who shared his vision and were willing to do whatever it took to achieve it
• As the business grew, he needed to adapt and bring in specialized talent to lead key departments
• He struggled with having to let go of some early team members who couldn't adapt to the changing business needs

Challenges and Self-Awareness

• Ben acknowledges the difficulty of managing people and making tough decisions, especially when it comes to letting go of loyal team members
• He emphasizes the importance of self-awareness in both camps, recognizing when it's time to adapt and make changes for the good of the business

Co-Founder and Separation

• Ben started Gymshark with a co-founder, Lewis, but they eventually parted ways due to differences in opinion about the future of the company### Business Founding and Early Days
• The business was founded in 2012
• The founder, Ben, and his co-founder, Lewis, started the business together
• In 2015, Lewis left the business, and Ben retained 20% of his shareholding
• Ben and Lewis were friends from when they met in IT class at college

Co-Founder's Role

• In the early days, there was no clear organization or structure, and roles were not defined
• As the business grew, Ben and Lewis's visions started to move in separate directions
• Ben believes that having a co-founder is important, especially in the early stages of a business

Personal Growth and Development

• Ben went through a period of self-reflection and identified his strengths and weaknesses
• He decided to focus on his strengths and improve on his weaknesses
• Ben believes that self-awareness is crucial for personal growth and development
• He used a 360 feedback process to identify areas for improvement and worked on those areas

Leadership and Roles

• Ben had different roles in the business, including chief of brand, marketing, and product
• He eventually became the CEO of the business
• Ben believes that it's important to focus on your strengths and delegate tasks to others who are stronger in areas where you are weak
• He hired people who were better than him in certain areas, such as Steve, who became the CEO, and Noel, who became the chief of brand

Becoming the CEO Again

• Ben recently announced that he is now the CEO of the business again

• He had been in different roles for about 5-6 years before taking on the CEO role again

• Ben believes that he has built up to a point where he is capable of doing the CEO role

• He had a two-year conversation with Steve, who was the previous CEO, about taking on the role again### Understanding Business Growth and Personal Development through Gymshark's CEO

• Gymshark started as one office in the Midlands and has grown to have several offices globally.

• Initially holding the position of Chief of Brand when Gymshark was smaller, and later engaging in product, markets, technology, and various business areas has provided a comprehensive understanding beneficial for running the company at its current scale.

• The desire to be more than just the founder of Gymshark motivated stepping into the CEO role, aiming for continued involvement and leadership at scale.

• Foundational to success is the appreciation of learning and impromptu problem-solving, not just formal education.

• Handling direct and brutal feedback in early stages was a learning curve corrected by understanding empathy and acknowledging everyone's good intentions towards the brand.

Challenges and Strategies in Leadership

• Encourages a culture that seeks challenge and involvement in decision-making processes, avoiding a workplace filled with "yes-men."
• Prefers an office setting to foster learning and community amongst the team, despite the practicality of remote work for some roles.
• Admits to early-stage imperfections and the journey towards providing empathetic and constructive feedback.
• Attributes resilience and learning from mistakes as key drivers behind Gymshark's success and personal growth.

Gymshark’s Future Aspirations and Leadership Insights

• Aspires to make Gymshark a globally iconic British fitness brand by staying true to its core values and continuously evolving.
• Advocates for balance between hard work and working smart, underlining the importance of both for successful entrepreneurship.
• Highlights the critical nature of adaptability in business, preparing for inevitable changes and challenges in the industry.
• Values the importance of team effort acknowledging that while the founder’s perspective is unique, success is a collective achievement.
• Envisions maintaining the brand's specialness and community focus as Gymshark grows, including exploring physical retail spaces as community hubs.

Personal Reflections and Advice for Entrepreneurs

• Emphasizes the invaluable nature of time given by others - ranging from family support to professional mentorship as a fundamental gift in one’s journey.
• Suggests that aspiring entrepreneurs find their passion, leverage their current positions for financial stability, and be prepared for failure as part of the process towards success.
• Advises on the significance of curating a supportive and challenging team environment that fosters growth, innovation, and resilience against adversities.

Early Life and Influences

• Ben Francis, founder and CEO of Gymshark, was influenced by his grandfather's work ethic and business risk-taking stories
• His mother's strong work ethic in the NHS also shaped his approach to business

Education and Skills

• Ben developed practical skills in IT, including using Photoshop, Dreamweaver, and Illustrator, which were essential in building Gymshark
• He credits his BTEC course in IT for teaching him to learn by doing

Entrepreneurial Journey

• Ben started Gymshark in 2012 with his brother and friends, sharing a common vision
• He realized the need to surround himself with great people to take the company to the next level
• He overcame initial arrogance by learning to ask questions, seek mentorship, and work with others

Learning and Growth

• Ben emphasizes the importance of learning from others, asking questions, and seeking guidance
• He believes having a growth mindset is crucial for entrepreneurs, allowing them to adapt and evolve with their business
• He credits playing World of Warcraft for teaching him about teamwork, economy, and trading, which translated to his business approach

Building a Team

• Ben initially looked for ambitious individuals who shared his vision and were willing to do whatever it took to achieve it
• As the business grew, he needed to adapt and bring in specialized talent to lead key departments
• He struggled with letting go of early team members who couldn't adapt to changing business needs

Challenges and Self-Awareness

• Ben acknowledges the difficulty of managing people and making tough decisions, especially when it comes to letting go of loyal team members
• He emphasizes the importance of self-awareness in recognizing when it's time to adapt and make changes for the good of the business

Co-Founder and Separation

• Ben started Gymshark with co-founder Lewis, but they eventually parted ways due to differences in opinion about the future of the company

Business Founding and Early Days

• Gymshark was founded in 2012 by Ben Francis and Lewis
• Lewis left the business in 2015, and Ben retained 20% of his shareholding

Leadership and Roles

• Ben believes in focusing on strengths and delegating tasks to others who are stronger in areas where you are weak
• He hired people who were better than him in certain areas, such as Steve, who became the CEO, and Noel, who became the chief of brand