The Tattooed Interviewee Who Sparked Outrage Finally Shares His Side of the Story

Jordan Zietz wants to clarify: He has never, and will never, compel anyone to permanently ink his startup’s logo on their skin.

The 24-year-old briefly found himself as the internet’s most disliked figure after LemonLime, his AI-centric startup for small businesses, hosted a gathering following Y Combinator’s Startup School in late July. In a LinkedIn post, Zietz mentioned that he brought in an “actual tattoo artist” to the event and “offered an instant interview to anyone who got a LemonLime tattoo.” According to him, seven attendees walked away with tattoos.

The swift backlash was intense. Zietz’s LinkedIn was bombarded with furious comments labeling him as “disgusting” and “very unfair,” accusing him of engaging in a “textbook example of predatory corporate behavior, a blatant power abuse, and a serious breach of professional ethics.” A screenshot of his post spread widely on X. One notable response read: “The job market cannot be this bad that young people have to get permanent tattoos for interviews.”

In an interview with WIRED on Tuesday, Zietz sought to clarify the situation.

He asserts that, despite the implications of his original post, no one permanently marked themselves with LemonLime’s logo during the party. While there were pre-designed tattoos featuring lemons and limes, guests could select any design they wished. (At least one person stated she received a personal tattoo; she mentioned she was “not seeking a job.”) According to Zietz, he informed everyone at the gathering that getting a tattoo—whether citrus-themed or not—was not a job requirement. In fact, he claims that any attendee who wanted an interview could easily get one.

“A significant number of people who got tattoos never intended to even pursue an interview with us,” Zietz notes. “They just wanted a free tattoo.”

Three of LemonLime’s five employees received LemonLime-themed flash tattoos, including Zietz and his co-founder, Daniela Muñoz. At least one individual who was not part of the startup also got a tattoo, according to Zietz.

On Monday, Zietz got his second tattoo in less than a month: the actual LemonLime logo on his other shoulder. It is one of many he’s collected. His first was received on a first date, and his thigh tattoos include a doodle of a dinosaur and text that reads “This Is The Correct Knee,” with an X beneath it.

“I would never ask anyone to do something I would not do myself,” Zietz emphasizes, while reiterating that, to his knowledge, he is the only person with the actual logo permanently inked on his body. He plans to share a polished video of himself getting the tattoo on social media.

Though Zietz maintains that the tattoos were not a condition for employment at his startup, it’s understandable why others might think otherwise, especially given the wording of his LinkedIn post. After reading various outraged comments and reactions, he acknowledges why people felt uncomfortable about the power dynamics involved.

Nonetheless, part of Zietz’s reasoning for hiring a tattoo artist was to identify candidates who would align culturally with LemonLime. He described his original post as “half-and-half” genuine, serving as an informal assessment of cultural fit. He didn’t intend for people to feel compelled to get tattoos—but he wanted them to see the tattoo station and think that LemonLime was doing something “out there.” Then, he wanted them to make their own assessment: Did they embrace it or did they reject it?

If attendees found the tattoo station off-putting, they likely wouldn’t mesh well with the startup, he argues. Fair enough!

Zietz aims to recruit individuals who appreciate what he calls his “eccentric” lifestyle. During his time at Stanford, he was suspended from his role as the university’s mascot, the Tree, for unfurling a banner that read “Stanford Hates Fun” during a football game. Before LemonLime, Zietz co-founded a social media platform called Confetti, where part of the hiring process, Zietz recounted last year on LinkedIn, involved conducting interviews while skydiving.