WHEN Ben Francis started his business in 2012, he never imagined that just a decade later, he would be a billionaire.
The Birmingham-born entrepreneur is the founder of fitness wear brand Gymshark, which was valued at over £1billion in 2020.
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The brand, headquartered in Solihull, England, has been worn by some of the biggest celebrities around the world.
This week, Ben also made his debut on the Forbes billionaires list, with an estimated net worth of $1.2billion (£992million), making him the UK’s youngest billionaire.
The fitness enthusiast started out in the garage of his parent’s house and managed to grow his business to a global empire with over 850 employees.
Before dropping out of Aston University, he was also a delivery driver for Pizza Hut but now owns super expensive motorbikes and goes on lavish holidays.
But his rise to fame and fortune has not always been easy – the young millionaire was embroiled in a drug scandal that looked set to shatter his dreams and ambitions.
Here, we take a look at how Ben went from a humble background to become an adviser to the government.
Model wife
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The businessman married Canadian fitness model and influencer Robin in September 2021.
Exactly a year after their nuptials, they revealed they were expecting twin boys with a series of loved up snaps on social media.
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They said their vows at the Cornwell Manor, a plush 2,000 acre estate in the Cotswolds, where a three day weekend of wedding activities goes for £26,750.
The bride looked stunning in a dress by luxury wedding dress designer Suzanne Neville – her designs cost up to £6,000.
Pictures posted on their Instagram pages show that guests were treated to a plush dinner with champagne followed by an outdoor party with sparklers.
They initially had a business relationship and met when Ben asked her to promote his brand on her social media.
After their romance blossomed, she relocated from Canada to live with him in the UK.
Lavish lifestyle
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Although Ben and Robin have spoken about being modest, they’ve also given fans a glimpse into their VIP lifestyle.
Ben is a huge fan of the BBC series Peaky Blinders and was photographed walking the red carpet of the show’s premiere.
They’ve also shared pictures of their extravagant holidays, including one on the island of K’gari in Australia.
Other posts see them in Dubai, where they are photographed in an opulent restaurant and on the beach.
On Valentine’s Day last year, the couple went on a date at Coya in Mayfair where a bottle of wine sells for up to £700.
Ben is known for his love of motorcycles and has given fans a look at some of his expensive bikes, including one by Thornton Hundred.
He has been invited as a guest speaker for numerous business events and was awarded an honorary doctorate degree at the same university he dropped out from.
His pal, Lewis Morgan, 30, who is the co-founder of Gymshark has been pictured in a flashy Rolls Royce and is worth over £130million.
Drugs scandal
In 2020, he was embroiled in a drug scandal when a video surfaced of him snorting cocaine.
In the viral clip he is seen sharing the class A drug with pals while they give each other pointers on how to take it.
When he was asked about the damning video, he said: “Four years ago, I was a young guy.
“I got caught up in a moment and made a stupid mistake that I massively regret.
“It was a mistake I learned from. I’ll continue to dedicate myself to learning from the people around me and work towards becoming the best version of myself.”
Celeb ties
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Gymshark has quickly become one of the biggest fitness brands in a competitive industry and has gotten the seal of approval from many A-list stars.
Actresses Gabrielle Union, Rebel Wilson, and Lucy Hale have been spotted in their designs.
Models such as Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, and Kaia Gerber have all been seen working out in their Gymshark apparel.
It’s also been promoted by some of the biggest fitness influencers including Nathan McCallum, Zac Perna, and Savannah Wright.
In 2017, Ben was presented with an award by Sir Richard Branson for being the owner of Britain’s fastest-growing firm.
He was also invited to join ex-prime minister Theresa May‘s Small Business, Scale-Ups and Entrepreneurs Business Council.
Early beginnings
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Ambitious Ben first tried to sell health supplements but quickly realised that he was not making much profit on them.
When he couldn’t find gym clothes to his preference, he decided to make his own instead by asking his grandmother to teach him how to sew.
At the time, he was also studying full time at Aston University and working as a delivery driver for Pizza Hut.
Soon, he began to sell his products and realised he profitable it was when he started making money.
He then dropped out of university to give his full attention to Gymshark and two other businesses including a fitness tracking app.
A decade later, the brand is now a billion pound global company and has over 5.8million followers on Instagram.
