Thought Behind Things

Find out more about Endeavor: ⁠https://pakistan.endeavor.org⁠

In this episode of Thought Behind Things, we’re joined by Syed Zeeshan Haider, the Founder and Director of Dipitt, Pakistan’s No.1 sauce brand exporting to over 33 countries worldwide.

A LUMS graduate and engineer by training, Zeeshan began his career managing top tobacco brands before making a life-changing decision, leaving the industry to build something that aligned with his values. What started as a local food experiment is now a globally recognized Pakistani FMCG brand known for its elegant design and high quality.

We explore:

• Zeeshan’s early career managing 3 tobacco brands
• Why he quit selling cigarettes for his daughter
• The transition from restaurants to Dipitt
• Distribution, partnerships, and brand building
• Scaling from local shelves to export markets

Socials:

TBT’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT’s TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tbtbymuzamil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT’s Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/thoughtbehindthings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT Clips: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@tbtpodcastclips⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Muzamil's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Muzamil's LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeeshan's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/syed-zeeshan-haider-4b341916/

Special thanks to Kickstart for providing us with the studio space.

You can find out more about them at: ⁠https://kickstart.pk/⁠

Credits:

Executive Producer: Syed Muzamil Hasan Zaidi

Associate Producer: Saad Shehryar

Publisher: Talha Shaikh

Editor: Jawad Sajid

Find out more about Endeavor: https://pakistan.endeavor.org

In this episode of Thought Behind Things, we’re joined by Zayaan Bawanay, the Co-Founder & CEO of TicketWala, Pakistan’s largest entertainment marketplace redefining how events, concerts, and live experiences are built.

From selling his own birthday tickets to running a company with 95% market share, Zayaan shares the wild journey of turning a scrappy blog into the country’s fastest-growing entertainment startup.

We uncover:

• How TicketWala became Pakistan’s biggest event platform
• The early days with zero tech knowledge
• Building credibility through small events during COVID
• Managing payments, logistics, and large-scale entry systems
• Why Pakistan can’t yet host global-level concerts
• Why Pakistani artists are more famous in India than Pakistan
• The risk-averse mindset of event stakeholders

Socials:

TBT’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT’s TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tbtbymuzamil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT’s Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/thoughtbehindthings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT Clips: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@tbtpodcastclips⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Muzamil's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Muzamil's LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zayaan's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zayaanbawany/

Special thanks to Kickstart for providing us with the studio space.

You can find out more about them at: https://kickstart.pk/

Credits:

Executive Producer: Syed Muzamil Hasan Zaidi

Associate Producer: Saad Shehryar

Publisher: Talha Shaikh

Editor: Jawad Sajid

In this episode of Thought Behind Things, we’re joined by Dayyan, a young, super-talented and rising stand-up comedian and content creator known for his sharp wit and humor.

From small open mics to sold-out shows, Dayyan shares his unfiltered journey through Pakistan’s evolving stand-up scene, the struggles, the experiments, and the state of comedy in a sensitive country like Pakistan.

We uncover:

• His early comedy experiments at Laugh Out Lounge
• What it’s really like performing live in Pakistan
• Why Pakistani comedy isn’t growing as fast as it should
• The cultural, creative, and commercial barriers comedians face

Socials:

TBT’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT’s TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tbtbymuzamil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT’s Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/thoughtbehindthings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT Clips: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@tbtpodcastclips⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Muzamil's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Muzamil's LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Dayyan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dayyan_ki_chussain/

Special thanks to Daftarkhwan for providing us with the studio space.

You can find out more about them at: ⁠⁠https://www.daftarkhwan.com/⁠⁠

Credits:

Executive Producer: Syed Muzamil Hasan Zaidi

Associate Producer: Saad Shehryar

Publisher: Talha Shaikh

Editor: Jawad Sajid

Find out more about Endeavor: ⁠https://pakistan.endeavor.org⁠

In this episode of Thought Behind Things, we’re joined by Ali Farid Khawaja, Chairman of KTrade Securities, Pakistan’s leading investment platform enabling thousands of Pakistanis to invest smartly and become part of the country’s growing capital markets.

With a global background in finance and technology, having worked at UBS, Berenberg, SafeCharge, and Autonomous Research, Ali shares how he’s bridging the gap between the Pakistani stock market and local investors.

We uncover:

• How KTrade became Pakistan’s first large-scale retail investment platform
• Why only 0.2% of Pakistanis invest in stocks today
• Why millions are trading crypto and forex instead of building real wealth
• How KTrade hit $6 million in daily trading volume and continues to grow
• KTrade’s Saudi expansion
• The potential for 30 million+ Pakistanis to become investors
• Why a bull run in Pakistan might already have begun

Socials:

TBT’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT’s TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tbtbymuzamil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT’s Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/thoughtbehindthings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT Clips: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@tbtpodcastclips⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Muzamil's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Muzamil's LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Ali's LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/alifaridkhwaja/⁠

Credits:

Executive Producer: Syed Muzamil Hasan Zaidi

Associate Producer: Saad Shehryar

Publisher: Talha Shaikh

Editor: Jawad Sajid

In this episode of Thought Behind Things, we’re joined by Sannan Saleh, a filmmaker, storyteller, and creative producer who’s worked with global giants like Comedy Central in Los Angeles before returning to Pakistan. Sannan shares an unfiltered look at the real state of Pakistan’s entertainment industry, its creative challenges, and the opportunities AI now brings.

We explore:

• How his journey from Duke to LA shaped his creative mindset
• What made him leave a stable career in the U.S. to return to Pakistan
• Why content distribution is easier than ever
• How Pakistani TV channels are afraid to take creative risks
• Why boomer producers are out of touch with Gen Z audiences
• Why Pakistan doesn’t have a talent problem, it has a direction problem
• The elitism in filmmaking and why cinema must be made for everyone
• How AI tools will slash production costs and change creativity forever

An unapologetically honest conversation about filmmaking, creativity, and the evolving mindset of Pakistan’s new generation of storytellers.

Socials:

TBT’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT’s TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tbtbymuzamil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT’s Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/thoughtbehindthings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT Clips: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@tbtpodcastclips⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Muzamil's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Muzamil's LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Sannan's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sannansaleh/

Special thanks to Daftarkhwan for providing us with the studio space.

You can find out more about them at: ⁠https://www.daftarkhwan.com/⁠

Credits:

Executive Producer: Syed Muzamil Hasan Zaidi

Associate Producer: Saad Shehryar

Publisher: Talha Shaikh

Editor: Jawad Sajid

In this episode of Thought Behind Things, we’re joined by Sikandar Nawaz and Moiz Nawaz - two multi-talented brothers who’ve carved their own creative paths in Pakistan’s evolving entertainment industry.

From Bhatti Gate to the big screen, the Nawaz brothers share an honest, heartfelt conversation about their journey - from madrassah life and acting struggles to music, content creation, and the pressures of public life.

We explore:

• Sikandar’s childhood and madrassah experiences shaped his creative drive

• Moiz’s transition from music to television

• Why criticism from relatives can either break or build your confidence

• The harsh truth about drama industry payments and structures

• How they learned acting without formal training and found their breakthrough

• Why ego and lack of collaboration hold back Pakistan’s creator economy

• Their take on Pakistan in 2050 and what real success looks like

A deep, emotional, and often humorous dive into what it means to stay authentic in the face of fame, expectations, and constant change.

Socials:

TBT’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT’s TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tbtbymuzamil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT’s Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/thoughtbehindthings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT Clips: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@tbtpodcastclips⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Muzamil's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Muzamil's LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Sikandar's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sikandarnawazz

Moiz's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/moizzz_nawazzz

Special thanks to Daftarkhwan for providing us with the studio space.

You can find out more about them at: https://www.daftarkhwan.com/

Credits:

Executive Producer: Syed Muzamil Hasan Zaidi

Associate Producer: Saad Shehryar

Publisher: Talha Shaikh

Editor: Jawad Sajid

Find out more about Endeavor: https://pakistan.endeavor.org

In this episode of Thought Behind Things, we’re joined by Arif Iqbal, the Co-Founder & CEO of LAAM, a fashion-tech startup transforming how South Asian brands scale globally through technology and logistics.

With a stellar background as an engineering leader at Facebook, Microsoft, Pinterest, and eBay, Arif shares how LAAM is building Pakistan’s Shopify-alternative helping thousands of local brands reach global audiences while solving the #1 reason most Pakistani ecommerce ventures fail: logistics.

We uncover:

• Why LAAM is not a fashion company, but a tech & logistics company
• How LAAM enables 48-hour local delivery & 5-day global shipping
• Why most Pakistani ecommerce startups fail — and how LAAM solves that
• The $5M+ raised and LAAM’s journey with Endeavor Global
• How Octane, LAAM’s backend engine, is bypassing Shopify limitations

With the ambition to become Pakistan’s next tech unicorn, Arif shares his long-term vision of turning LAAM into the Amazon of South Asia — and a homegrown global success story.

Socials:

TBT’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT’s TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tbtbymuzamil⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT’s Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/thoughtbehindthings⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT Clips: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@tbtpodcastclips⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Muzamil's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Muzamil's LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Arif's LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/arifiqbal/

Endeavor's LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/endeavor-pakistan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Credits:

Executive Producer: Syed Muzamil Hasan Zaidi

Associate Producer: Saad Shehryar

Publisher: Talha Shaikh

Editor: Jawad Sajid

Find out more about Endeavor: https://pakistan.endeavor.org

In this episode of Thought Behind Things, we’re joined by Abbas Raza Bukhari, a rising stand-up comedian, storyteller, and content creator of Pakistan’s digital comedy scene.From hating Instagram and never planning to create content to building a loyal audience through relatable, family-friendly humor, Abbas walks us through his journey of creative self-discovery, content burnout, and what comedy truly means.

We uncover:

• Why Abbas believes abusive comedy doesn’t work in Pakistan
• The ego trap of social media content creation
• Why comedians in Pakistan aren’t connected
• How his wife pushed him into content creation

Socials:

TBT’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings/

TBT’s TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@tbtbymuzamil

TBT’s Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thoughtbehindthings

TBT Clips: https://www.youtube.com/@tbtpodcastclips

Muzamil's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan/

Muzamil's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/

Abbas's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbassbukharii/

Endeavor's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/endeavor-pakistan

Special thanks to Daftarkhwan for providing us with the studio space.

You can find out more about them at:Daftarkhwan: https://www.daftarkhwan.com/

Credits:

Executive Producer: Syed Muzamil Hasan Zaidi

Associate Producer: Saad Shehryar

Publisher: Talha Shaikh

Editor: Jawad Sajid

Find out more about Endeavor: https://pakistan.endeavor.org

In this episode of Thought Behind Things, we’re joined by Omar Shah, the Co-Founder & CEO of COLABS, Pakistan’s leading coworking space platform with over $5M in funding.

From his early days at Abraaj Capital to building a workspace empire in Pakistan, Omar breaks down the real challenges of scaling startups, building brand credibility, and attracting global investment in Pakistan’s high-risk economy.

We uncover:

• Why most Pakistani startups fail to scale
• The truth behind WeWork’s collapse
• Colabs’ expansion into the Middle East
• The business mindset gap between India & Pakistan
• And the harsh truth: "Pakistan was overselling coworking"

Socials:

TBT’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings/⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT’s TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tbtbymuzamil⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT’s Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/thoughtbehindthings⁠⁠⁠⁠

TBT Clips: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@tbtpodcastclips⁠⁠⁠⁠

Muzamil's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Muzamil's LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠⁠

Omar's LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/osshah/

Endeavor's LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/endeavor-pakistan⁠⁠⁠⁠

Special thanks to COLABS for providing us with the studio space.

You can find out more about them at:COLABS: https://www.colabs.pk

Credits:

Executive Producer: Syed Muzamil Hasan Zaidi

Associate Producer: Saad Shehryar

Publisher: Talha Shaikh

Editor: Jawad Sajid

Find out more about Endeavor: https://pakistan.endeavor.org

In this episode of Thought Behind Things, we’re joined by Muneeb Zafar, founder of Fitted, one of Pakistan’s fastest-growing men’s fashion brands. From starting without retail stores to building a strong D2C presence through quality fabrics and bold aesthetics, Muneeb shares how he built a sustainable business in a cash-burning fashion industry.

We dive into:

• The origin story behind Fitted
• How to build a brand without big capital
• Sourcing quality fabric locally in Pakistan
• Challenges of retail vs online
• CAC, marketing strategy, and automation

If you’ve ever dreamed of starting your own brand, or are curious about the reality of building a fashion startup in Pakistan — this episode is for you.

Socials:

TBT’s Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/thoughtbehindthings/⁠⁠⁠

TBT’s TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@tbtbymuzamil⁠⁠⁠

TBT’s Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/thoughtbehindthings⁠⁠⁠

TBT Clips: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.youtube.com/@tbtpodcastclips⁠⁠⁠

Muzamil's Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠

Muzamil's LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/muzamilhasan/⁠⁠⁠

Muneeb's LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/muneebzafar1

Endeavor's LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/endeavor-pakistan⁠⁠⁠

Credits:

Executive Producer: Syed Muzamil Hasan Zaidi

Associate Producer: Saad Shehryar

Publisher: Talha Shaikh

Editor: Jawad Sajid