How to Startup: Lifting Your Way to Success

April 14, 2025

In partnership with

Welcome to this edition of "How to Startup," where we explore real founder stories and the lessons you can apply to your own entrepreneurial path. Today, we spotlight a British fitness apparel brand that scaled from a garage-based operation to a billion-dollar company by focusing on community and social media marketing.

Founder Spotlight: Ben Francis, Founder of Gymshark

The Beginning of Gymshark

In 2012, Ben Francis was a 19-year-old college student in the UK who loved fitness but was not satisfied with the clothing options on the market. He started a small online store selling sports supplements, then taught himself to sew and design his own line of workout apparel. With an initial budget that came mostly from his part-time job at a pizza restaurant, Francis began working on Gymshark from his parents’ garage.

"I was passionate about the gym, and I felt the industry could do better with community-driven products," Francis mentioned in an interview with BBC. "It wasn’t just about launching gear, but creating something people could be part of."

Early Challenges

Though Gymshark’s focus on stylish, comfortable athletic wear had promise, the road was far from simple:

  1. Bootstrapped Beginnings: Francis had limited funds to invest in inventory or traditional marketing, so every purchase decision had to be weighed carefully.

  2. Quality Control: Managing the manufacturing process to ensure consistent quality involved vetting suppliers abroad and negotiating reasonable terms.

  3. Crowded Market: Competing with global athletic brands pushed Gymshark to stand out through unique designs and social engagement.

  4. Influencer Marketing Skepticism: At a time when many companies had not embraced influencer campaigns, convincing early brand ambassadors to work with a small startup required persistence.

  5. Operational Scaling: Demand rose quickly once Gymshark began gaining traction, creating inventory shortages and shipping delays that tested the young brand’s reputation.

Turning the Corner

Several key factors helped Gymshark transition from a small side project to a mainstream presence:

  1. Influencer Partnerships: By partnering with fitness YouTubers and Instagram personalities, Gymshark built an online following at a much lower cost than traditional advertising.

  2. Community Events: Gymshark sponsored and hosted pop-up events and expos where fans could meet influencers, creating buzz and user-generated content.

  3. Social Media Mastery: Strategic posting of workout videos, product teases, and inspirational transformations drew hundreds of thousands of followers eager to engage.

  4. Lifestyle Branding: Gymshark’s marketing went beyond selling products, focusing on personal growth and community support in fitness journeys.

  5. International Expansion: Strong e-commerce infrastructure and global shipping strategies allowed the brand to reach customers worldwide, boosting revenue and recognition.

Over time, Gymshark became a well-known athletic wear brand, eventually earning a billion-dollar valuation and expanding its product lines into various segments of fitness apparel.

Hiring IT becoming a headache?

IT hiring doesn’t have to be a hassle. Let Crossbridge take care of it all—from sourcing top talent to seamless onboarding and more. Get fully vetted resumes in just 24 hours, all handled by real people, not algorithms. Experience the Crossbridge difference.

Advice for New Founders from Gymshark’s Experience

  1. Start with Passion
    Francis built Gymshark around his love for fitness. Pick a field that inspires you enough to weather early obstacles.

  2. Leverage Influencers Early
    Influencer marketing can be a cost-effective way to tap into a focused, engaged audience.

  3. Foster a Real Community
    Building emotional connections with your audience can lead to loyal fans who will share your brand organically.

  4. Adapt Quickly
    Gymshark iterated on designs and handled supply issues as soon as they arose. Quick pivots and improvements can keep customers satisfied.

  5. Expand Methodically
    Grow in phases, ensuring your supply chain and customer support can handle new demand before adding more complexity.

Mistake to Avoid: Ignoring Your Core Users Once You Scale

Some startups experience rapid growth and shift focus to new audiences, forgetting about the loyal community that propelled them in the first place. This can alienate early adopters and undermine word-of-mouth promotion.

Why It Happens

  • Chasing Broader Markets: In pursuit of bigger revenue, brands sometimes pivot messaging and products, leaving their initial community behind.

  • Operational Overload: As a company scales, leadership might overlook community engagement in favor of managing bigger logistics and investor relations.

  • Disconnect from Feedback: Founders may lose touch with the day-to-day experiences of core customers.

Potential Consequences

  • Loss of Brand Authenticity: Alienating core supporters can dilute what made the brand unique, opening the door for competitors.

  • Damaged Reputation: A negative shift in community sentiment can quickly spread on social media, hurting brand image.

  • Lower Customer Retention: Without personal ties, some customers may switch to competing brands for better deals or trendier products.

How to Avoid This Mistake

  1. Maintain Dialogue
    Keep a feedback loop through social media, forums, or email updates to stay connected with your original community.

  2. Reward Loyalty
    Offer exclusive deals, early product access, or special events for longtime fans.

  3. Stay True to Core Values
    Keep the brand identity that made you stand out. Use expansions to build upon your uniqueness, not replace it.

  4. Hire Community Managers
    Appoint people whose primary job is to interact with fans, gather insights, and address concerns promptly.

Quick Tips

  • Product Development Tip: Seek direct feedback from your most enthusiastic customers. They can be a goldmine of improvement suggestions.

  • Marketing Tip: Encourage user-generated content with hashtags or challenges that highlight your products in real-world use.

  • Finance Tip: As demand grows, reinvest profits into reliable supply chain solutions and customer support to avoid losing momentum.

Learn how to make AI work for you

AI won’t take your job, but a person using AI might. That’s why 1,000,000+ professionals read The Rundown AI – the free newsletter that keeps you updated on the latest AI news and teaches you how to use it in just 5 minutes a day.

Resource Roundup

  1. Book

    • Built to Sell: Creating a Business That Can Thrive Without You by John Warrillow

    • Explores how to design processes that help a brand grow sustainably

    • Amazon Link

  2. Tool

    • Hootsuite

    • A social media management platform that can schedule content, track engagement, and optimize marketing efforts

  3. Article

    • “How Gymshark Founder Ben Francis Built a Billion-Dollar Fitness Brand”

    • Business Insider deep dive on the company’s growth strategy and community-building tactics

  4. Podcast

That concludes this edition of "How to Startup." Gymshark’s rise from a tiny home operation to a global fitness brand underscores the power of community, influencer marketing, and passion-driven leadership. Keep refining your processes, celebrate your earliest supporters, and grow with the same energy that launched your startup.

Until next time, keep building, keep engaging, and keep striving for the next breakthrough!

Did you enjoy this article?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.