You must have heard in the press recently, how the Birmingham based business that started in 2012 has recently been valued at $1.3bn!
Ben Francis (who started the business) was studying during the day, and working for Pizza Hut during the evening delivering pizza’s… found that there was no gym apparel that suited him (or he liked!)
So… what does someone in that position do? – That’s right… start to make some! And that’s exactly what Ben started to do.
And the success has been phenomenal.
Why?
Because of a few principles…
Stay Humble. This is on their offices. And the hashtag on Insta has their fans sharing selfies and other photos. Steve Hewitt, Gymshark’s CEO, advised that, “It takes zero talent to work hard and zero talent to stay humble; if you get those things right you will always do well in your journey.”
Focus on the customer. They have a clear audience… 18-25 and those who like fashion, music and obviously, those who go to the gym. They say, “Utilise the best technology to create exceptional customer touchpoints, via your website and in-person. If you do mess up, own the mistake, respond in an exceptional way and carry on.”
Visionary. Part of Gymshark’s mission statement reads: “In everything we do, be true to our own vision and respectful of others. We are here to bring ideas to life. There is no idea too big, or too small… We are not future-proof. We are the future.”
The Dream Team. No, not that programme from the 90’s. Build the dream team. The brand’s HQ houses 500 team members and aims to “create a culture where every morning feels like Christmas morning” according to Hewitt.
There’s a few more, but these were the key ones for me. So… follow your passion, enjoy the ride…. and delight your customers.