Thom Bulman built his name in tattoo culture before making an unexpected pivot into footwear. He joined Sean Kelly on the Digital Social Hour to talk through both chapters of his career, from competing on Ink Master to founding the shoe brand Bull Airs.
The conversation moves through some of the more memorable moments from his years behind the tattoo gun, then shifts into the story of how Thom Bulman applied that same creative instinct to building a footwear brand from scratch.
About Thom Bulman
Thom Bulman is a tattoo artist known for his appearance on Ink Master, the competitive reality series that tests tattooers on skill, creativity, and pressure. His work behind the needle built the reputation that later opened doors in other creative industries.
That reputation carried into his next chapter, founding the shoe brand Bull Airs and applying a tattoo artist's eye for design to footwear, including collaborative projects that have crossed into pop culture territory.
What Thom Bulman and Sean Kelly Talked About
- What it was actually like competing on Ink Master, from pressure to creative process
- Some of the wildest tattoo requests and stories from Thom Bulman's years in the industry
- Why he decided to step away from tattooing to build a footwear brand
- How Bull Airs came together as his first venture into shoe design
- The creative through-line he sees between tattoo art and footwear design
- His work on creative projects tied to pop-culture brands, including Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles
- What he's learned about building a brand identity outside of tattoo culture
Why This Conversation Matters
Not many people can say they've built a following with a tattoo gun and then started over in an entirely different industry. Thom Bulman's conversation with Sean Kelly is a look at what it takes to carry a creative reputation from one field into another, told by someone who has actually done it.
▶ Watch the full episode on YouTube
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About Sean Kelly & the Digital Social Hour
Sean Kelly is an entrepreneur and the host of the Digital Social Hour, one of the fastest-growing interview podcasts in the world, where he sits down with entrepreneurs, athletes, creators, and cultural voices for candid, long-form conversations. The show draws over 100 million views a month across platforms. Explore more guest features on SeanKelly.io.
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