The first time I heard of pickleball was in 2016. Some friends invited me to play, and I figured my ping-pong skills would translate to the short courts. My ping-pong habits actually carried over too well. I had to stop putting extra spin on the ball, but little adjustments like that and the game’s competitiveness hooked me. I also loved that people of all ages were just as addicted to pickleball as I was. But one experience, in particular, set me on the path leading to The Picklr.
One winter, we went to a rec center, and I saw two teenagers playing pickleball with 50 people waiting to get on the court. My first thought was, “What cult did I join?” It was a weekday, but no one was at work or school. And the two teenagers were playing at a level I hadn’t seen yet. It was fast-paced and exciting. They were hitting overheads and drives I couldn’t believe. I realized then that the youth would eventually take over this sport.
That experience inspired me to create a paddle that felt cooler than anything I had seen in the market. Kuro Paddles was successful, but it was a side hustle eventually inhibited by manufacturer delays due to the pandemic. Shortly after that ended, in 2020, I was laid off from my tech job and left with the decision to look for a new job or go fully independent.
I considered my area’s packed rec center and the lack of indoor courts. And I felt inspired to create a facility for aspiring players of all ages. When I called my friend Austin Wood to tell him my idea, he didn’t even let me finish my sentence. He said, “Let’s do it. I’m in!”
It was scary deciding to take a chance on myself. I could have used a million excuses not to start The Picklr—like having five kids, a mortgage, or even being in the middle of a pandemic. But my father was an immigrant and entrepreneur who strongly believed in working for yourself, and I always admired his resilience. I had faith we could pull it off with Austin by my side.
In January 2021, we were lucky enough to sign our first lease. Somehow, we found a building space with an owner willing to lease a building for our wild pickleball idea he had never heard of. We opened our first location in Uintah a few months later.
Fast forward to today, and The Picklr is partners with Pickleball Inc., Super Bowl Champion Drew Brees, and has over 500 locations sold worldwide. And it’s all because of people who believed in our vision. Some of our executives today are people who showed up at the grand opening of our first location. Pickleball is that powerful in connecting people.
– Jorge Barragan
Co-Founder & CEO
Meet Jorge
Co-Founder & Chief Visionary Officer
Meet Austin
President
Meet Jonathan
Chief Marketing Officer
Meet Kathryn
Chief Partnership Officer
Meet James
Chief Strategy Officer
Meet Steven
Chief Development Officer
Meet Chris
Vice President of Pickleball
Meet Matt
Jorge Barragan is the CEO and Co-Founder of The Picklr Inc. He’s also part owner of MLP’s California BLQK Bears. Experienced in Enterprise Software Sales, Jorge has been a key part of a company that saw an IPO and two successful exits. In 2020, long before the indoor pickleball craze began, he envisioned a place where people could enjoy this sport year-round. Teaming up with his best friend, Austin, they’ve turned this vision into a reality, now with seven locations and 80+ franchisees across the country. Beyond business, Jorge is a family man, a father of six and married to Saydee Barragan. A sports enthusiast that enjoys playing pickleball and golf.
Austin is one of the original Co-founders and current Chief Strategic Partners Officer at The Picklr. Previously, he held the position of VP of Sales and Marketing and Co-Owner at Acquire Med, a start-up medical device company. Austin’s has a deep passion for Pickleball. The Picklr and pickleball has become a significant part of his life, providing him with both physical fitness and a vibrant community of friends. Throughout his entire career, Austin has demonstrated a remarkable talent for growing companies from the ground up. Beyond his professional achievements, he is a devoted family man, proud father to two boys, and eagerly anticipating the arrival of a baby girl.
Jonathan is the COO of the Picklr and was most recently the President and Chief Operating/Financial Officer of TruFusion a leading fitness franchisor. Previously he was the Chief Operating Officer of Punchh ( Sold to PAR for $500 Million) a leading AI powered CRM software company, and President and CEO of Rita’s Franchise Corporation and Straw Hat Pizza and has a proven record of rapid, profitable growth. He has formal leadership background from companies such as Accenture, GE Capital, TransOcean, and Stanford Research Institute and have been part of the executive teams of both private equity and venture capital funded companies in the CPG, SaaS, Healthcare, manufacturing, retail/restaurants, franchising and real estate. Jonathan holds degrees in physics and business from the University of California, Berkeley and holds the government securities licenses # 3, 7, and 63 along with a real estate brokers license.
Kathryn Bullough is a seasoned marketing leader with a distinguished track record of over 15 years. She has orchestrated the growth of global brands and spearheaded successful marketing initiatives within the consumer tech, sporting goods, and public safety sectors. Her impactful roles at industry leaders such as Skullcandy, Axon, Salomon, and Atomic underscore her extensive marketing expertise.
Intrinsically linked to diverse industries, Kathryn brings her wealth of experience to The Picklr from her role at Axon, a frontrunner in public safety technology. There, she pioneered groundbreaking marketing efforts, crafting and executing pioneering brand campaigns and internal strategies. Prior to that, she led global brand marketing efforts at consumer electronics giant, Skullcandy, developing and implementing brand marketing efforts across the globe for more than 7 years. Kathryn earned her B.A. from the College of Charleston and has called Salt Lake City, UT, her home for more than 12 years.
James is the Chief Brand Officer of The Picklr and was most recently the Chief Partnerships Officer at F45 Training. F45 was one of the fastest growing fitness franchises in History with over 2,300 locations in 80 countries. As the Chief Partnerships Officer James was responsible for driving commercial growth and business development initiatives in addition to securing strategic partnerships and sponsorships. James was also responsible for the acquisition and management of brand ambassadors including David Beckham, Mick Fanning and Cindy Crawford.
James also launched and served as the CEO for the fitness franchise FS8 and has 15 years experience in large scale exhibitions, brand management, software sales and healthcare. He has a passion for construction and a strong background in sports, playing professional rugby for London Saracens.
Steven Russell holds a Marketing and Economics degree, along with an MBA from the Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. Steven’s entrepreneurial journey began during college when he founded Patch Retention, a SaaS company specializing in automations and customer journeys to help businesses retain their customers. As Chief Operating and Financial Officer, Steven was instrumental in scaling the company to serve over 2,000 B2B clients across North America.
In 2020, Steven transformed his passion for pickleball into a business venture, launching SideOut Pickleball, a cutting-edge 15-court indoor facility built from the ground up in Kaysville, Utah. Around the same time, just 20 minutes north in Uintah, Utah, Jorge and Austin launched The Picklr. Recognizing the opportunity to achieve more together, the teams merged their efforts, forming Picklr Inc. Today, Picklr Inc. oversees a growing portfolio that includes Picklr Franchise, Stack Athletics, and The Picklr Shop (which was acquired by Pickleball Inc. in 2024).
Steven continues to drive the strategic vision of The Picklr, helping it grow into the largest indoor pickleball franchise in the world.
A proud father of five, Steven and his wife Jami enjoy traveling and staying active through sports.
Chris Walker serves as the Chief Development Officer of The Picklr. With a strong background and a decade’s worth of experience in the Development industry, and a proven history as a Revenue and Growth Executive. Chris is dedicated to expanding The Picklr’s footprint globally,
Chris is pivotal in steering The Picklr toward its ambitious development and growth goals. In his previous roles as a C-level executive, Chris has successfully led multiple organizational exits, demonstrating his ability to identify and capitalize on strategic opportunities that deliver significant value across The Picklr Business. His expertise and proven track record have made him a respected leader in the development and growth industry.
Along with his expertise in the development industry, Chris has spent the last 8 years working in Venture Capital and Private Equity as a venture operator and investment executive.
Matt is the founder and co-owner of The Picklr Power of 4/P4 and The Picklr Travel & Getaways, while also assuming the role of VP of Pickleball, where he focuses his efforts on The Picklr’s best-in-class on-court programming experience. Matt comes to the PICKLR with 8 years of experience coaching, teaching, managing, operating, building, consulting, and other areas of expertise within the pickleball industry. As an owner of Quatro Pickleball, Matt oversaw operations at multiple high-end resorts and private clubs in locations such as Cabo San Lucas, Italy, Dubai, and various cities across the United States.
Prior to entering the world of Pickleball, Matt spent 25+ years in the golf industry. From high level play to holding positions such as Sales Professional, Regional Sales Manager, National Sales Director and Manager, Executive VP of Sales and Vice President of Golf Operations, Matt spent his time from the ground level to C suite positions with companies such as Taylor Made-adidas Golf, Bridgestone Golf, Cobra-Puma Golf, Oakley Golf, TravisMathew, TASC Performance and Original Penguin Golf.
Matt is father to 3 amazing daughters, Bryce (26) who works in the legal department for Arthrex while attending law school, Grace (23) who is an EKIN PRE Running Specialist for Nike in Ann Arbor, MI and Kaia (18) who is finishing special needs high school. The best accomplishments come from within and Matt is a beyond proud father of his amazing daughters.
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