12 Pentagons

Thank you for the feature, SoccerBible ⚽️ "Working with the likes of adidas, FIFA and Burberry became commonplace, and now, what started as a passion project has grown to become a fully fledged business in the form of 12 Pentagons, fulfilling a dream that would be the envy of most – business fueled by passion. Two years and his entire lifesavings later, it’s a decision that’s been well and truly vindicated, with his first ball, the Original 92, selling out in a little over four hours of its launch." https://lnkd.in/gx2c4XzA

Something crazy happened yesterday. Our first 12 Pentagons release of 1000 balls sold out in less than 5 hours. 🤯 Jon-Paul and I are buzzing, still in a state of shock. We spent yesterday morning watching the numbers on the Shopify. Our public product page had a live ticker that automatically went down as people ordered their balls. Every time we refreshed, a few dozen fewer balls were available. It was surreal. A lot of work was done behind the scenes to bring this project to life. But for the most part, I think people have been drawn to Jon-Paul’s storytelling ability and passion for the craft of designing custom soccer balls. He’s built an engaged audience of 1.4 million+. His creative output is extraordinary, unlike anything I’ve ever seen. (He would be very embarrassed to see me hyping him up) We had minimal outside media coverage. Our marketing tactics included creating our own content through jonpaulsballs channels, gifting 100 VIP (unnumbered) units to influencers, friends, and family, and connecting with our email list. If you have watched a video or ordered a ball, from the bottom of my heart, thank you!!! I’m incredibly proud and excited for what this means for the future. And I can’t wait to see people start receiving their balls all over the world. 🥹

LAUNCH DAY: 190 remaining / 1000 at time of post. 12p.com The Original 92 by 12 Pentagons Hand stitched with premium Italian leather. 92 panels total: 12 pentagons and 80 hexagons. There’s a reason why most balls don’t look like this. It’s an impractical way to construct a ball, but practicality was never the goal. Wednesday 12.06.24 9am CST only at 12p.com Designed by Jon-Paul Wheatley, @jonpaulsballs Image: Sam Nicklin

12 Pentagons in the news. Thanks for the feature, Champions Journal! "Ball is life In issue 19, we spoke to Jon-Paul Wheatley about his incredible handcrafted football designs that have blown up on social media, that led to the creation of @12pentagons We’re stoked to see this take off and to follow their journey! Check out the full feature in Champions Journal and be sure to @jonpaulsballs and 12 Pentagons… PS: Stay tuned for a very special unboxing" https://lnkd.in/g3EkG-GX

It's happening: 12 Pentagons is launching. June 12 at 9 am CST. 1000 units, individually numbered, hand-stitched with Italian leather. It's the first design that Jon-Paul made and truly loved. Here's the story of how we got here.👇 Thank you for supporting this project! #football #soccer #soccerball #balls

12 Pentagons in the news! 🗞️ from the latest issue of St. Louis Magazine: "In March 2020, Jon-Paul Wheatley was preparing to launch a tech startup in St. Louis. The pandemic swallowed the world. His investors bailed. His career imploded. As the world entered quarantine, the Bournemouth-born Wheatley wanted something to occupy his time. He purchased leather working tools and began teaching himself how to cobble. On a whim, he tried making a soccer ball. “The first one was terrible, but I had a good time making it,” Wheatley says. “I looked at it and thought, If I did that again, it would be better.” Four years later, there are hundreds of balls bouncing around his apartment, many of which have gone viral thanks to Wheatley’s artful storytelling on social media (@jonpaulsballs). He’s parlayed internet fame into a new startup, 12 Pentagons, which was included in the latest cohort of Arch Grants recipients. Wheatley’s company will sell soccer balls as part of a series of limited-edition drops throughout the year." thanks for the write up! launch plans coming soooon! https://lnkd.in/gAuYkWNT

It's taken over a year of prototyping and refining, but the first 12 Pentagons ball is almost ready. Production on the first 1,000 units has started. 92 panels, hand stitched with Italian leather. It’s our favorite ball! (so far) Launch details coming soon. #football #soccer #12pentagons #handcrafted #footballdesign

⚽️🏟️ One year ago, Jon-Paul finished stitching a ball from the stands of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 final to commemorate the tournament. Check out that story in a mini-doc produced by FIFA here 👇 #fifaworldcup #football #design #storytelling 12 Pentagons

Is it just me, or is there a severe lack of ball discourse on LinkedIn these days? Cult Kits Ltd caught up with Jon-Paul recently to talk all things #balls. Check it out in the link below. "He's designed and made footballs for the likes of adidas, FIFA and Major League Soccer. Now Jon-Paul Wheatley is set to launch his own ball company, 12 Pentagons. Handmade balls beautifully and uniquely constructed materials, each collection limited to a very select number. The football. One of life's greatest inventions. All inclusive, welcoming and the ultimate ice breaker. A simple concept that brings absolute joy to millions around the globe. But there's one creative who is challenging the construction of said ball. Creating his very own sculptures through different forms, Jon-Paul Wheatley's work is something to watch out for."

12 Pentagons got an Arch Grant 🥲⚽️ We are honored to be part of the Arch Grants 2023 cohort alongside some incredible companies & entrepreneurs in St. Louis. Our company, 12 Pentagons, reimagines the iconic symbol of the most popular sport in the world: the football. We'll offer handmade balls with unique constructions and materials. Each collection will have a limited supply. Here's how 12P came to be. Jon-Paul Wheatley started leather working as a hobby during lockdown and decided to try making a football (soccer ball). It was very bad! But he kept at it, experimenting with unique designs and constructions. He also started sharing his work on social media via @jonpaulsballs, telling stories about each one. It resonated. In a surreal couple of years, his audience has grown to over 900k across TikTok & Instagram. He's partnered with FIFA, adidas, and Major League Soccer. 100+ million have watched videos about his balls. (lol) Jon-Paul and Allison Diaz Wheatley are launching 12 Pentagons as a response to the question that people keep asking: "Can I buy a ball?" Soon, we'll be able to say... Yes. Yes you can. We aim to launch 12P early next year with limited quantity drops of JP's most popular designs. Stay tuned for ball updates. 👀 12p.com