with Gymshark founder Ben Francis
If it were film, you'd think Hollywood had taken significant liberties with factual accuracy. And yet, the genesis of Gymshark, now a billion-dollar DTC fitness fashion brand, begins with all the hallmarks of a sappy Hollywood biopic. While working at a local Pizza Hut, 19-year-old Ben Francis, a dedicated weightlifter, founds his passion project Gymshark. After two years of hand-sewing clothes and barely making ends meet, he catches his big break at a local fitness trade fair, where he stumbles upon the marketing strategy that will catapult Gymshark into unicorn status. A decade after those humble beginnings, Gymshark has bulked up to heavyweight status and USD 1.45B valuation. In the OMR Podcast, Francis breaks down the marketing strategy that has helped Gymshark flex on the competition.