No Apprentices in 2026 — A Talk with Jason Sweet

This episode starts with a post on Instagram:

“No Apprentices in 2026.”

Jason Sweet — tattooer of 23 years and owner of Freaks and Geeks Tattoo in Portland, Oregon, joins me for a raw conversation about mentorship, shop culture, social media, pricing, ego, and what’s really shifting inside tattooing.

We talk about apprenticeships and gatekeeping, private studios, pop-up shops, loyalty, undercutting, and the post-pandemic reality of running a studio. We question what younger tattooers are looking for, what older tattooers might be missing, and whether community in tattooing can still exist beyond the algorithm.

This isn’t nostalgia. It’s not anti-social media. It’s an honest discussion about standards, responsibility, and what it actually means to belong to this craft.

Follow Jason:@ihatejasonsweet@freaksandgeekstattoo

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