Why I Like the Johns Brothers (and What Ben & Collin Are Building Off the Court)

I first met Ben and Collin Johns at the JOOLA Celebration event in 2024. We were all in Orlando, Florida—me as a wide-eyed observer, them as the humble faces of a global movement. Fast forward to this August, I’ll be back there again with my family: my wife and 9-year-old daughter will be doing the clinic together, and I’ll be playing the tournament with my three older kids. Full family pickleball immersion. That’s how deep this game runs in our household now.

But I’m not just a participant anymore. As I step further into the pickleball industry, I’ve started working with Johns Design & Consulting—one of the pickleball ventures Ben and Collin are involved in. This is more than a branding exercise. It’s a glimpse into what the future of athlete-driven entrepreneurship looks like.

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Not Just Athletes—Operators

Ben and Collin are far more than paddle-wielding legends. Sure, they dominate the PPA Tour. Yes, they are highlight-reel machines in Major League Pickleball. But behind the fast hands is something sharper: vision.

These guys were homeschooled in a family of seven kids. You don’t come out of that environment without learning how to think independently, adapt fast, and play the long game. Ben, for example, has a degree in materials science—and believe me, he can geek out on polymers and paddle surfaces like any engineer I’ve met. We chatted about it over dinner in Dallas earlier this year, and I walked away thinking: this guy could have been in a lab at MIT. Instead, he’s building empires on-court and off.

They’ve co-founded or invested in:

• 🧠 Pickleball360.com, a subscription site with loads of pickleball training content.
• ✈️ Pickleball Getaways, a vacation experiences company that blends fun destinations and pro-led group clinics.
• 🏗️ Johns Design & Consulting, a boutique consulting firm focusing on helping investors and business owners get pickleball facility design done right.
• 🏓 RacketPro, a coaching business seeking to a establish standards and a network of certified professionals worldwide.

...while also helping push the sport globally, including a recent Asia tour with none other than Andre Agassi (because countries like Vietnam and Malaysia are on fire for pickleball).

The Business Behind the Brand

Everyone knows Ben and Collin are JOOLA athletes. But JOOLA is not just a paddle company. They’re executing a textbook total addressable market (TAM) expansion play—investing in the sport itself. Smart. If you want to grow your revenue, grow the pie.

And that’s only possible when your top athletes aren’t just athletes. You need operators, thinkers, and builders. That’s what Ben and Collin are. They aren’t just racking up prize money—they’re laying infrastructure, one project at a time.

In fact, what JOOLA is doing with them should be the template for next-gen sponsorship models. Think: co-creation, consulting, strategic alignment—not just logos on shirts and discount codes.

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Entrepreneurship + Athletics: The Long Game

At Palmera Pickleball, one of the conversations I want to bring to the forefront is this: What happens after your peak athletic years?

It’s a topic I think pro players need to grapple with sooner, not later. Injuries happen. Aging happens. The spotlight fades. But entrepreneurship? That has no age limit—just grit, risk tolerance, and the ability to learn fast.

Too many athletes waste their 20s on distractions. Travel’s great, experiences matter—but build while the sun shines. Set yourself up now so your 50s, 60s, and 70s are joyful, not stressful.

Ben and Collin are doing just that. They’re young. They’re dominating. And they’re building.

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What’s Next?

Agassi Sports Entertainment Corp announced it acquired the trademark and all rights associated with the name "World Series of Pickleball." That’s a massive signal. Major money is entering the space. And those who position early—not just as players but as owners and architects—will shape the next decade.

I’m betting on players like Ben and Collin. And I’m building Palmera to create more like them.

Let’s turn athletes into entrepreneurs.

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