Gymshark CEO Explains His Strategy For Global Success - Ben Francis

Ben Francis is the CEO & founder of Gymshark.
Bootstrapping a company from nothing to a multi-billion-dollar valuation at a young age is not easy. Starting a family, with twins, whilst navigating the changing political landscape and supplier tensions from the East makes this even harder. But there are some principles Ben has developed to survive this chaos.
Expect to learn what 3 traits Ben has observed in all the high performers he's met, how his upbringing helped shape him into a successful CEO, Ben’s thoughts on modern masculinity, how what the world needs from fitness culture has changed, the biggest red flags to watch out for when recruiting new talent, what founders don't know about the challenges of being a CEO and much more...
Sponsors:
Get 10% discount on all Gymshark’s products at bit.ly/sharkwisdom (use code: MW10)
Get £150 discount on Eight Sleep products at eightsleep.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied)
Get 5 Free Travel Packs, Free Liquid Vitamin D and more from Athletic Greens at athleticgreens.com/modernwisdom (discount automatically applied)
Extra Stuff:
Follow Ben on Instagram - / benfrancis
Get my free Reading List of 100 books to read before you die → chriswillx.com/books/
To support me on Patreon (thank you): / modernwisdom
#business #mindset #fitness
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00:00 Intro
00:32 Common Traits of the Highest Performers
05:36 Can You Be Outspoken as a Public Figure?
11:30 The Hidden Challenges of Being a CEO
18:03 How to Delegate Effectively
24:33 The Biggest Risks Ben Has Taken
27:55 Today’s Need for Fitness Content
32:10 How Development Impacts Male Mental Health
37:55 The Challenges Facing Men in 2023
44:36 Is the Body Positivity Movement Good or Bad for Women?
49:52 How Ben Has Adjusted to Having Kids
55:36 Helping Children Learn to Overcome Difficulty
1:13:10 Ben’s Goals for the Next Few Years
1:15:19 Where to Find Ben
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Get access to every episode 10 hours before KZbin by subscribing for free on Spotify - spoti.fi/2LSimPn or Apple Podcasts - apple.co/2MNqIgw
Get my free Reading List of 100 life-changing books here - chriswillx.com/books/
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Get in touch in the comments below or head to...
Instagram: / chriswillx
Twitter: / chriswillx
Email: chriswillx.com/contact/

[@ChrisWillx]

Hello you beauties. Access all episodes 10 hours earlier than KZbin by Subscribing on Spotify - spoti.fi/2LSimPn. Here’s the timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:32 Common Traits of the Highest Performers 05:36 Can You Be Outspoken as a Public Figure? 11:30 The Hidden Challenges of Being a CEO 18:03 How to Delegate Effectively 24:33 The Biggest Risks Ben Has Taken 27:55 Today’s Need for Fitness Content 32:10 How Development Impacts Male Mental Health 37:55 The Challenges Facing Men in 2023 44:36 Is the Body Positivity Movement Good or Bad for Women? 49:52 How Ben Has Adjusted to Having Kids 55:36 Helping Children Learn to Overcome Difficulty 1:13:10 Ben’s Goals for the Next Few Years 1:15:19 Where to Find Ben

[@freddymilanya4469]

19:17

[@mitko_wtf]

thank you so much for making these timestamps

[@normanbell-br7nf]

thanks Chris

[@NaturalFamily-ov8cm]

The INTENSITY in this man's eyes is almost disconcerting. What a focused, driven, CLEAR guy

[@JokerManiacz]

Man this was amazing. Chris I love the way you ask “why” or “how so” or “what do you mean”. I think many people tend to give vague or deep answers that might not be fleshed out, and your interviewing style properly extrapolates more from them. You’re awesome!

[@nicholaskoenig3106]

...and he fire's those important little questions off the cuff...! Simple but I love it.

[@williamsolis1]

19:45 "your ambitions for your business are larger than the ambitions for yourself" is the best quote of the entire podcast.

[@lovehealth-je6co]

I disagree.

[@gregoryburne5251]

My gut feeling is that this “kid” could’ve been a Navy Seal or SAS etc. Can see it in his eyes. Incredibly driven, and smart too.

[@maxjones731]

He’s 30 not a kid

[@gregoryburne5251]

@@maxjones731 Why do you think I put it in “inverted commas”?? Bc he was a kid when he started this.

[@alexanderavanth]

Two powerful lessons I took from this conversation: 1. Be organized, not just of what you can control, but of your reaction to what you can't control. 2. External wealth is important, but some people are so poor that all they have is money. Take care of yourself and each other .

[@c14davidhopkins]

The editing, lighting, organized and well-articulated questions, and minimalist layout all really help with the production quality here. This show has come a long way, it's great to see. Good job, Chris!

[@ethansleeper6952]

Awesome episode! You ask great questions and do a really good job at letting your guests speak

[@matthewstephenson7145]

Incredible episode 🙏🏼🙏🏼🙏🏼 gonna have to rewatch this one again this week. Keep killing it!

[@COTEZ_]

This was an incredible podcast. The part where Chris speaks on things used to be working on 'skin deep' aspects of yourself is something I and I'm sure many others can relate to, the space has definitely gotten better throughout the years but still a long way to go. Keep up the good work guys!

[@aaronbranchofficial]

ben francis - unreal perspective. The development and growth of this guy through the years is incredibly inspiring. You can tell it’s authentic. He’s lived and breathed the journey 🎉❤

[@andresmiguel68]

Keep up the great work, Chris! Amazing podcasts!

[@hell-hollowfarmer41]

Thanks Chris! Your podcasts are always great! What an inspirational business story, both of you!

[@philipmyers5314]

Very much enjoyed that conversation, keep up the great work Chris!

[@wayupduk]

This was brilliant! Ben Francis truly humble and down to earth and an authentically nice guy. Kudos, what a national treasure. Thanks

[@FUTUREYOU7]

We have access to a lot of podcasts these days, Chris has to be up there with the best! Keep the great guests and questions coming! 👍🏼

[@Uzairchauhan07]

came here from ben’s story and found another gem Chris, amazing podcast with coolest gymshark owner ♥️

[@ChristianSoschner]

Excellent conversation. Thanks for putting it online.

[@jonathonfreelove5321]

This was an excellent insight into how Ben works and was refreshing to hear some positive points and benefits of living in the uk

[@razzyybabyy]

This is why I admire and love you! Your inspirations you listed vaguely we know who you are talking about and all I can say is same! Thank you for all your modern wisdom 🙏💖 I wish I could share this with my friends, a lot of them just aren't on the same path / don't have the compacity to sit through and take this stuff in. But you have shed some amazing insight & you ask the right questions. Thank you for stimulating the pink matter of this brain. 🧠 Story time: recently a friend of a friend asked me a question that had struck me in such an odd way. I live in Las vegas, it's actually quite diverse here. The person who asked me this lives in LA, were it's filled with the radical feminine liberalist. He said "what does Jordan Petersons content do for you as a women?" And I turned my head and gave him the strongest look. I was puzzled but it caused me to pause for a few moments and really think about the question instead of just answering with my first reaction or an unarticulated thought. Then I replied something along the lines of "the fact he provides insight on so many avenues, he's open-minded & willing to hear out an opposing opinion in attempt to understand the point of view. I trust his judgement, he shares his wisdom relating to parenting, relationship, political, world views/ issues." I guess I hear about these radicals all over on social media but generally I personally don't know these characters so that's why it puzzled me. Thinking about where he's from LA, Hollywood, silicone valley, that's a majority of the young people in these places. He also went to university in Canada and he confirmed the "bad" opinionated reputation they force on their students with the slander. But I ended the conversation with "Jordan Peterson basically teaches you how to not be a total piece of shit which you think would be easy or common sense, but youd be surprised" I know this is really related to this particular video but I just thought I'd share that with you, and let you know your super inspiring and I know this content isn't always directed to young women but the men in my life don't always have the compacity or patience to listen and resonate with this wisdom, if I can take it in and share it in a moment of relevance that is what is important. 🖤 Thanks again

[@TheHopeMusicGroup]

Great interview Chris. Loving your work.

[@charlesabbott2784]

Truly brilliant podcast. Thank you so much lads.

[@castellum40]

Chris delivers the best podcasts time and time again

[@charlesrobert4146]

This was an amazing Podcast Chris. I learnt a great deal from this episode. Also i am very astonished to the level of humility present in Ben despite his accomplishment, very remarkable and honest conversation from you guys.

[@ellasoes8325]

Really? Impressed with his humility? There's not a thing humble about this podcast.

[@BuildYourFutureTomHoskin]

This is big! Great work Chris

[@Adam-M1]

Wow this was a great podcast. Grew up around the same time frames as you guys especially around the fitness industry so could really comprehend what was being said.

[@buggedmusik]

Brillant interview, very inspirational, I've just started out on my own clothing brand this year.

[@maasdd]

this is such a powerful interview wow, the details for ceo's entrepreneurs are so powerful here, please more ceo's and business people! and questions on scale

[@AllanGildea]

Very interesting and constructive advice - thank you both.

[@eyedentv]

Ben’s definitely changed his tune over the years and/or evolved his perspectives on specific topics like the ‘body positivity’ comments. Decent episode 🫡

[@ajewonline4588]

Ben is one of the greatest, if not THE GREATEST young successful person that is online.

[@dosesandmimoses]

I love this podcast. The quality is consistent. Gratitude

[@firestara4830]

"Gratitude." why do people talk like that? Smh

[@bnbbattlesbraincancer]

Excellent interview

[@cambibby-fox9765]

Great work Chris.

[@eduardorey2425]

This was absolutely incredible

[@andrewcrawley285]

What a balanced, humble and wise young fella

[@byronjohnson8346]

THIS IS A VERY, VERY GOOD INTERVIEW. MORE LIKE A POWERFUL CONVERSATION OF TWO INTELLIGENT MINDS.

[@reinhardtrassel9190]

Pure Masterclass, thanks!

[@slapstadesign]

💯 great podcast

[@bogeyfit]

absolutely fantastic

[@dosesandmimoses]

Thanks!

[@user-kz4ye4kw6m]

enjoyed very much

[@carolspencer6915]

Good evening Chris and Ben I would love to grow an idea much like, 'A Intellectual Fun Brain Gym'. Maybe need to develop/intergrate twin AI and mental wellbeing care and delivery! Thankyou both for your shared inspiring conversation. 💜

[@iProcratinate]

This is the tightest podcast host on the internet rn, every episode is a banger

[@mangarares]

Great learning moments in this pod

[@GraceMelia]

The part about schooling his children is so interesting. I am in the UK and homeschooled and I honestly don’t know if it is the best thing to do as I only have 1 friend and she lives an hour away and goes to private school and the only way I am able to get more friends is going to college. So, I believe that actual school (public or private) is propably the best thing to do for your kids

[@NailsbyGoda]

Amazing podcast as always! Please just do some research on homeschooling 😅 you would not believe how underated and misunderstood homeschooling is! Homeschooled children end up learning all of the years and years of maths in 2 weeks if they need to 😊

[@Drew_HBK]

“I developed the fitness side of me, now what?” I feel that so deeply as someone who’s so mental health focused but leaned towards the gym and MMA to heal myself.

[@Ottoforsblom]

Learning lessons from this episode: Your purpose and what makes you happy can change instantly after you’ve accumulated more wealth than you need Mental health for men is nowadays treated as women’s mental health, and it lacks the masculine process of taking the next step that ultimately will improve your mental well-being Surround yourself around the people are mirror opposites of yourself in terms of what qualities and characteristics they have. Both learn from them, but also outsource your weaknesses to them

[@ChickFenwick]

I agree with this more masculine approach toward self-improvement. Even as a woman I never really liked all the mollycoddling. For a while there was a huge "self-help" movement around "positive thinking", which some have referred to as toxic positivity. It only made us weaker. I remember when "The Secret" was hugely popular, and how much I couldn't stand it. It quietly slipped away with no apology, but now people have turned back to being negative. On the left it's all about systemic oppression, while on the right it's all red/black pill (which has adopted similar victim rhetoric).The whole point is that you have to actually do something, not just think or fantasize or complain about something. You build self-esteem by doing esteemable things. I'm still trying to take my own advice, but I'm doing better than I was before. Thanks for these important discussions, because I think this is what the world needs right now.

[@mrsniiper]

You build self-extreme by doing esteemable things. So true… absolutely love this.

[@susieare]

Totally agree!

[@anFy81]

that introduction is promising

[@jasonHall860]

I went to a “normal school” Myself & Ben both attended South Bromsgrove High. 👍

[@normanbell-br7nf]

you can always learn

[@DLewis2193]

could someone please tell me the tech that chris is using here, it looks like a neat piece of kit. Thank you.

[@beybladeknights1223]

Incredible entrepreneur!

[@AmeliaBodilia]

This episode was entertaining, but the podcast addressing Mimetic Desires was more enlightening IMO.

[@calebogden]

It’s interesting how age has little to do with wisdom, what really teaches people? Experience

[@tomasr64]

True, just because someone is old doesn't automatically make them an elder with wisdom.

[@karlmeaden6868]

Interesting talk, Ben navigated the body positivity questions well. Gymshark have absolutely encouraged some of the negative connotations around the female body, but he was honest, he has a business to run and he admitted going too far at times. That's what it's about.

[@oliverphelps94]

So refreshing to hear a Brit talk positively about the country.

[@mrsniiper]

Ben is an amazing real UK success story… however.. I would like to see Lewis Morgan on your podcast asap to see his perspective as to how the first few years of GymShark went. From the several different podcasts I have watched of them both, something definitely went on behind the scenes that Ben isn’t letting on. With the above in mind, we can get to know what lessons Lewis learnt and how he is bringing it to AYBL. Keep up the good work Chris 👏🏻

[@ChickFenwick]

Tea ☕

[@susieare]

HOMESCHOOL YOUR BABIES!! DO IT! They will be the luckiest kids alive if they are home educated on a farm. I'd love to be able to give that opportunity to my boys. I am home educating them, but we don't have a farm 😂 The home ed movement in the UK is definitely growing. Where I live I am always meeting new home ed families and there are actually too many groups and classes available for us to cope... I'm following the Charlotte Mason philosophy. Look it up - it's quite different and far superior to whats taught in school, but still very doable!

[@theb.o.a.t.8225]

Great video, I love Ben and the UK but the USA is the greatest country in the world my friend

[@therearenoshortcuts9868]

can you do this video: mindset of a Zimbabwe trillionaire??

[@ElephantWhisperer222]

This man even lowkey looks like a shark. Proper company name.

[@joydot7620]

So many ads it’s impossible to listen to / get anything from.

[@growgritgive]

Interview Naval

[@lesterfernandes5287]

Robb Stark + Griezmann

[@Larry21924]

Your work is intellectually stimulating; akin to a book that was intellectually profound. "The Hidden Empire: Inside the Private Worlds of Elite CEOs" by Adam Skylight

[@chillelement8301]

What were those 3 role models for Ben? 39:00

[@soyunperderdor7246]

I'm a little fed up of people coming along and talking about wealth. Are we supposed to listen and then follow his footsteps when we walk differently? People think the only way to succeed in life is to follow others. I won the lottery of life 16 years ago when I met my husband.

[@hugoowona]

My girl be hating those tactical plans 😂

[@shakz3969]

5:36

[@user-sj1ju5sd4t]

the hate in these comments blow my mind, I don’t think it’s unreasonable to say the whole comments section life earnings and net worth wouldnt touch a billion from the first day or less I’ve seen posted so far since dropped. Jusr because he isn’t as eloquently spoken as a full time podcaster whilst having autism is a high standard to set. Fair play Ben, not that you need any encouragement 👍

[@ChickFenwick]

There's always hate in the comments. I usually defend whoever the guest is. Out of the gate this guy made a stupid comment, but the rest of it was good. I enjoyed listening to it.

[@volkerwanderung1426]

Midlands lad done good and still kept his accent, much respect 🙏

[@deemahdee]

I Don't understand why he's against private school versus public school. Is that maybe just in the UK? Anyone have any insight into his comments about sewing his children?

[@kapishnagar4235]

1:05:45

[@stevenjuan259]

Millionaires are made in crash, so the more stocks drop, the more I buy, in the meanwhile I'm just focused on making better investments and earning more, apparently there are strategies to 3x gains in this present market cos I read of someone that pulled a profit of $350k within 2months, and it would really help if you could make a video covering these strategies.

[@onwugharablessing8264]

The strategies are quite rigorous for the regular. As a matter of fact, they are mostly successfully carried out by pros who have had a great deal of skillset/knowledge to pull such trades off.

[@josephlee4001]

I agree, before the pandemic got real serious, I used to handle all my investment and I was pretty good at it, fast forward to post-pandemic and my-portfolio is steady in the red with profit rate down to the lowest, that's when I touched-base with a coach I saw featured on businessweek, who restructured my portfolio and over the last couple years, I've made over $850k from initially $210K

[@justinscott6855]

I’m new to all this, heard it's a good time to buy and basically I've just got cash sitting duck in the bank and I’d really love to put it to good use seeing how inflation is at an all time-high, who is this coach that guides you, mind I look them up

[@josephlee4001]

"Jackson Sten Marsh." is the coach that guides me, you ca look him up on the web-site for further verification.

[@onwugharablessing8264]

Thank you for this tip. it was easy to find your coach. Did my due diligence on him before engaging his services. He seems proficient considering him résumé.

[@Lemmmmmme]

3:37

[@coolpfpbut9505]

The way I perceive young rich people sure does make me feel inferior

[@bd11777]

Funny how you lay out the stats on female issues and explain how Gymshark was culpable to a certain degree but Ben just dodges the issue. Gymshark's early marketing was big in promoting body dysmorphia and this would have been a great opportunity to address this.

[@igormendonca4026]

ISTP with developed Fe

[@walterjones7212]

Almost everyone, including the media, is anticipating a market catastrophe, and as a result, many are turning a blind eye to the opportunities in the market. I recently began investing in stocks and it was the best choice I've ever made. If you genuinely want to be financially secure, disregard everything the media is suggesting. The market offers a lot of opportunities . Maximize your use of it

[@amaeryamidus]

What opportunities are there in the market and how do I profit from it?

[@lolman838]

- failure without consequence

[@WearShoesOutside]

Did I miss it or did Chris not specifically address his ties with GymShark as a sponsor?? Chris, mate, your content is solid and consistently thought provoking. And Ben gives good interviews; both here and DOAC were enjoyable. But come on now. Acknowledge that relationship then use it as an opportunity to promote the brand; ‘I’ve worn & used the product for years before I was sponsored.’ Hey, maybe I missed it and I’m just a major c**k rn. Fair play. But if you didn’t, that financial incentive opens you up to deserved criticism. Note aside, keep up the consistent quality. Cheers!

[@ilikecommenting6849]

He's been very open about being sponsored by Gym Shark.

[@sterlingfinance6606]

Orderd there once NEVER EVER AGAIN! Absolut worst customer Service ever! Took them weeks to respond, no way to reach out. Refund took almost 2 months to process!!!

[@dinosemr8141]

💖❤️💖❤️🙏❤️💖❤️💖

[@teamcontentcreator]

The conversation was great but why was the host suddenly swearing? This was very off putting 😤😤😤

[@AncientYouth64]

Gym shark models all on gear

[@garyf.3328]

Yep & Gym Shark’s sales relies on it!

[@clarkkent4683]

Like who? Everyone I’ve seen are all athletes or models none of them have been big enough to be on gear. Likely your throwing muck to ignore your lack of progress.

[@arghnews]

@@clarkkent4683 Firstly, it's "you're". Secondly, the fact you are of the opinion that being on gear necessarily means you have to be really big, and thus that the models aren't all enormous must mean they're not on it, shows a lack of awareness of ways one can use PEDs. Look at professional sportsmen, like the Chinese weightlifting team for example. Shredded as hell, not enormous, but immaculate physiques, and on gear etc.

[@mrfrosty3]

If they are, who cares? They're apparel models, not role models or fitness advisers, you use whatever body looks good in your product.

[@arghnews]

@@mrfrosty3 I never said otherwise. I'm just pointing out to the dude above, to claim that none of them are on gear because they're not enormous, is wrong.

[@JimmyMFP]

I can say that I applaud Ben for what he's achieved; but, as to how he's done it, at times, from what I've heard from people who've worked with him, I'd never go into business with him no matter how good the deal looked.

[@magos_0083]

I’m starting to see a lot of podcasts about the minds of billionaires and millionaires… most people aren’t going to become one of these people. Not saying you shouldn’t strive for the most success! But in reality what is listening to one of these people gonna do for you?

[@ricand5498]

A chance to learn about business from people who have already done it and been successful. No reason to make known mistakes when so many entrepreneurs are giving away free game all over KZbin.

[@mrfrosty3]

You're asking why should someone listen to people who have achieved success in the field they also aspire to have success in?

[@ChickFenwick]

I get what you're saying. Despite the sentiments against mollycoddling, this still has "mind of a millionaire" vibes to it a little bit. Most people just need to get a job that they like, or like well enough. Let's be real. But getting into a healthier lifestyle is always good advice.

[@Boz196]

Most people wont become millionaires because to put it honestly, most people are just fucking losers who have no drive, ambition or purpose. They are content and comfortable with living their loser lives. Comfort is the killer of ambition, it's where dreams go to die. By watching these podcasts you see what it takes to become the top 1%. It's reflective of the age old saying, you are the sum of the five people you spend the most time with. If you're not yet at a level where you can surround yourself with success in the real world, the next best thing you can do is listen to people who are successful. Success breeds success.

[@devilscritic]

Wasn't there controversy with Gym Shark a short while ago? I forget...

[@Planeta1951]

Inspired by zizz... bruh that was a heavy punch.

[@ashwhite__]

Problem is no matter what your opinion is 50% will disagree you will never win

[@AutoDFensa]

Wildly overpriced products buttressed by social media hype certainly help contribute to that "success"

[@ChickFenwick]

He's good at branding. It's like designer brands. Overpriced, but people buy it.

[@ChickFenwick]

Actually, I looked at their website, and it's not that bad. I thought it was going to be more like Lululemon. If there's quality to back it up, I think it's fine. Target is not much better these days.

[@zenzo23travel52]

Great episode .. def not a billionaire tho 😂

[@bfg4151]

gymsharks valuation is at a billion dollars....not ben francis s

[@123shotas]

Didn't he get a some cash from his parents to start gym shark or it's bezos?

[@TheSSEssesse]

I mean, he could have used that money to just buy coke

[@claudiocerezo1644]

Just a few are self-made, specially from first world countries. Generational wealth is granted on those places

[@mrfrosty3]

If true so what? That is what good families do.

[@prasad530]

Every startup needs money, who cares where it comes from? It's the execution that makes success. Most people put lots of money into a new business and fail.

[@sofialeonardo8777]

Nice video!! Great content. The best advice right now with banks failing, is investing in cryptocurrencies. It is the best way to diversify your income and leverage the potential to make a substantial return on your investment.

[@marcolorenzo4851]

Cryptocurrency is a cutting-edge technology that is revolutionizing the financial system, and investing now could be a great way to earn substantial returns in the near future.

[@julianmark8866]

I invested in Dogecoin 2 months ago. I have already made a $50,000 profit on my dogecoin investment and am buying more for a long-term investment.

[@charlotteroy1851]

I tried to invest in the digital asset market, but got confused. I don't know how to get started.

[@sofialeonardo8777]

@@charlotteroy1851 I understand that investing in stocks and cryptocurrencies can be intimidating, but with the help of a Financial advisor "Mrs MARIANA LAUREN ALI" , I have seen great returns on my investments, and I highly recommend her as an investment advisor."

[@sandradunn5091]

I personally recommend Ms. Mariana Lauren Ali to anyone looking to trade digital assets, she has a very consistent and profitable strategy. I am confident she will provide exceptional services to ensure your success in the space.

[@seanjohnson197]

Yo Chris, shave your beard to just above your Adam's apple. Not just under your jaw line x much love

[@ImmortalAliens]

is it just me or there where way too many filler words 🤣