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Building a Community-Driven Brand

Season 2 | Episode 1 | September 6, 2023
Melis Kahya Akar

Melis Kahya Akar

Managing Director and Head of Consumer for EMEA

Ben Francis

Ben Francis

Founder and CEO of Gymshark

General Atlantic’s Head of Consumer for EMEA Melis Kahya Akar speaks with Ben Francis, Founder and CEO of Gymshark, about how at a young age he combined his passion for fitness and coding experience into a global, direct-to-consumer, community-based fitness apparel brand.

In This Episode

  • Learn how Ben’s passion for website, app development, and fitness led him to create Gymshark – the first site he ever built that supported e-commerce.
  • Gymshark’s decision to invest in influencer marketing at a time when it was only an emerging tactic, how that bet paid off and how the company continues to leverage influencers today.
  • Their focus on technology and prioritizing online distribution, waiting 10 years to open Gymshark’s first brick-and-mortar retail location in 2022.
  • How Ben constantly draws inspiration from his UK heritage and UK brands that have stayed true to their DNA throughout history.

“I really believe that data is so important in businesses, but there is nothing more powerful than just having a conversation with the customer.”

– Ben Francis, Founder and CEO of Gymshark