B en Francis is a British entrepreneur and the founder of the wildly popular fitness apparel and accessories brand, Gymshark. He is a prominent example of a new generation of entrepreneurs who have built billion-dollar businesses by leveraging social media and influencer marketing. He started the company in 2012 from his parents' garage while he was a university student and working as a pizza delivery driver.

Initially, Francis was hand-screening and sewing the garments himself. He recognized early on the power of social media to build a brand and a community. He sponsored and built relationships with prominent fitness influencers on platforms like YouTube and Instagram, who promoted Gymshark to their millions of followers. This strategy allowed the brand to grow at an explosive rate with minimal traditional marketing spend. In 2020, Gymshark achieved unicorn status after selling a stake to the private equity firm General Atlantic, a deal that made Francis one of the UK's youngest billionaires.