In Episode 46 of the Unite & Win Podcast, I sit down with Ryan Cooper Thompson, a tattooer based out of Portland, Oregon at Tattoo SMILE. Ryan is currently hiking the entire Pacific Crest Trail from the Mexico/California border all the way to Canada, and while passing through Wrightwood, California, we linked up off trail, pulled out some camping chairs, and recorded this episode in the middle of the journey.

We talk about the road that led him here, life on the trail, traveling, tattooing, and what it’s like spending over two decades dedicated to the craft. Ryan made his first tattoo in 2001 and has been tattooing professionally since 2004. (R C T)

If you’re into tattooing, traveling, backpacking, or just hearing real conversations from people fully committed to the path they’ve chosen, this one’s worth checking out.

Follow Ryan:

Instagram: @ryancooperthompson

Website: Ryan Cooper Thompson

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In Episode 45 of the Unite & Win Podcast we’ve got Jose Lopez.

Jose has played in bands like Shoes of Cement, Hitem Where It Hurts, and ACxDC, and we sat down to talk about growing up in punk, discovering hardcore, and falling down the rabbit hole into all the different subgenres that come with it.

We also got into a pretty funny conversation trying to figure out the “path” from listening to bands like Green Day all the way into powerviolence and what bands kind of bridge the gap along the way. A lot of reminiscing about growing up around punk shows, finding heavy music, and how people eventually end up deeper and deeper into hardcore.

Jose is also part of the Betamax Podcast and involved in a bunch of different creative outlets from music to poetry and beat making.

Follow Jose: @swmpft

Betamax Podcast: @betamaxultd

Poetry: @j.luis.poetry

Band: @hwin.pv

Jose’s an old friend and it was a great time catching up. I’m grateful we get to share this one with you and hopefully maybe you learn something new or find your own way down the rabbit hole of the music we’re into.

In Episode 44 we’ve got Derek Billingsley, tattooing out of In Good Faith Tattoo. Originally from California, he’s spent years working in different parts of the country, putting time into the craft and building his own take on American traditional.

We get into how his style has come together over time, pulling from different experiences while still keeping it grounded in the fundamentals. It’s a conversation about staying focused on the work, letting things develop naturally, and not forcing an image outside of what you actually do.

If you’re into tattooing or just like hearing real stories from people who’ve put in the time, this one’s worth checking out.

Follow Derek @realderekbillingsley

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In Episode 43 we’ve got Dan Frye. Originally from England, now tattooing at Dark Horse Tattoo in Los Angeles. He specializes in various styles of tribal tattooing and black work, while working across a range of styles and building a strong, recognizable approach to his work. We talk about how he got started in tattooing, the move to LA, and what it’s been like finding his lane and pushing his style forward.

If you’re into tattooing or just like hearing real stories from people who’ve put in the time, this one’s worth checking out.

Follow Dan @danfrye

Join this channel to get early access and ad free versions of all uploads, as well as an extensive library of members only videos archived. You can find everything in the members playlist here on the channel. This is the best way to support.

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Episode 41 of the Unite and Win Podcast features tattooer Phil Hatchet Yau.

Phil spent most of his career working at Tahiti Felix’s Master Tattoo in San Diego, where he built a strong foundation and developed his approach to tattooing. He’s now working at Fast Time Tattoo, continuing to grow while staying true to what got him here.

In this episode we talk about how he got into tattooing, what brought him down to San Diego, and the experiences that shaped his career along the way. Phil also speaks on how he got into doing coverups and how that became a big part of what he does, as well as how he developed his signature style over the years.

A lot of real insight in this one about longevity, staying consistent, and navigating the tattoo industry without losing yourself in it.

If you’re into tattooing or just like hearing real stories from people who’ve put in the time, this one’s worth checking out.

Follow Phil @philhatchetyau

Episode 39 is all throwbacks and real stories as my old friend and former roommate Fidel Medina joins the Unite and Win Podcast. We look back on our roommate days, the struggles, the bad decisions, and the moments that turned into memories we still laugh about. It is honest, personal, and full of the kind of stories only longtime friends can tell.

Episode 38 dives into the wild life and endless stories of Georgie a legendary tattoo collector from Los Angeles who is 69 and just about finished with a full body suit he started fifteen years ago. What began as a fascination turned into a full blown obsession that helped him stay sober and change his life for the better. Georgie is a former radio DJ a lifelong character and a funny stoner who has truly seen it all. From addiction and recovery to music mischief and decades of unforgettable moments this episode is packed with good times! Georgie proves that it is never too late to reinvent yourself and keep adding chapters to an already unbelievable story.

Episode 37 is pure nostalgia and nonstop laughs as Ray aka Big Red my best friend from back in the day pulls up to the Unite and Win Podcast to reminisce on high school days in Riverside California. From getting into trouble and barely dodging consequences to making dumb decisions that somehow turned into legendary memories this episode is packed with classic stories inside jokes and unfiltered fun a 100 percent unapologetically Blatantly local Riverside California episode.