The founder of a tech startup is admitting his mistake after encouraging eager jobseekers to get permanent tattoos of his company’s logo.
After San Francisco-based tech startup LemonLime hosted a party Saturday to meet potential new employees, founder Jordan Zietz boasted in a since-deleted LinkedIn post: “we brought an actual tattoo artist to our party and offered an instant interview to anyone who got a LemonLime tattoo.”
Seven people left the party with permanent tattoos, according to Zietz’s post, which included a picture of a woman getting a tattoo. The original message said, “We are bold, we take risks and we do things that haven’t been done before. Being committed to our mission is paramount. Pre-requisites for building the future. If you’re reaching out to us to apply for a job, you might want to take notes.”
The post immediately sparked backlash online over the questionable power dynamics involved, with one person writing on X: “sf startups are now branding applicants like cattle.”
After deleting social media posts about the party, Zietz shared a statement on his platforms Wednesday night saying: “I messed up.”
“At our YC afterparty, we offered free tattoos and said we’d be happy to interview anyone who got one,” he explained. “What I thought would be a fun, memorable way to meet people was, in reality, reckless, and instead came across as tying a permanent tattoo to job opportunity, which showed poor judgement.”
He continued: “Even though participants chose their own tattoos and no one was asked to get our logo, I should have understood the pressure and power dynamic created by connecting tattoos to hiring. Regardless of said intent, turning a celebration of personalized art into a company stunt was poorly exercised judgement.”
Zietz — a Stanford University alum who graduated in 2024 — said that the social media posts about the event have been taken down, and that the company spoke to everyone who participated.
“We’re also ready to cover associated removal costs with anyone facing any delayed regret,” he said. “I’m sorry to the people we put in that position, and to everyone who expected better from me. There’s no clever explanation here. I got carried away, and I was wrong. For the facts: interviews were available to everyone regardless.”
LemonLime did not immediately return The Independent’s request for comment.
After the backlash began, the woman who was pictured getting a tattoo in Zietz’s original LinkedIn post came forward to identify herself as another startup founder named Dimple Amitha Garuadapuri.
She said that she opted to get a personal tattoo rather than one of the logo, explaining her decision on X: “I’m building Stri Health, a startup in women’s health. But this isn’t easy - especially when historically funding is against you. The only way to stand out is to take risks and jump on the right opportunities.”