Don't Rely on LinkedIn: How AI is Changing Business Networking Forever ft. Hassan Munj | TBT Podcast

Want to be a guest on Thought Behind Things? Apply here: https://muzamilhasan.com/podcast/apply Join the Inner Circle, my weekly letter on AI, building, and being early to what's coming: https://muzamilhasan.com/inner-circle... Read the thesis, the one idea behind everything I'm building: https://muzamilhasan.com/thesis My website: https://muzamilhasan.com Checkout the platform: https://ilmverse.ai/ Are you tired of being ghosted on LinkedIn, or frustrated by the toxic "middle layer" of the Pakistani startup ecosystem? In this episode of the Thought Behind Things podcast, I sit down with Hassan Zulfiqar Munj, founder and CEO of Leap AI, to discuss how he used AI tools like Lovable to build a revolutionary networking platform designed specifically for founders. Hassan isn't a traditional software engineer. Coming from a background in traditional family business, opening CrossFit gyms, and running art galleries, he realized that the biggest bottleneck for entrepreneurs isn't just money—it's genuine, intent-based networking. We dive deep into the harsh realities of Pakistani traditional businesses, why the "Seth" culture refuses to digitize, and how Leap AI is using agentic AI to match founders with mentors, investors, and opportunities without the noise of traditional social media. If you want to know how non-technical founders are using AI to build real products, watch this until the end! Timestamps: 0:00 Why taste and exposure matter in the age of AI 2:10 Hassan's education and early career path 3:31 Opening the Iron Box gym against family doubts 7:26 Selling a stake in Iron Box and earning his father's trust 8:20 Taking over the family import business 10:52 Digitizing traditional Pakistani businesses 17:55 The art gallery building and its story 21:24 The networking problem that led to Leap 27:52 Building the first version of Leap with Lovable 28:43 Launch, downloads and how Leap works 31:20 Competitors and the problem with online communities 35:14 AI moderation and the upcoming Leap agent 39:10 Wrap-up: try the app and give feedback Instagram:   / muzamilhasan   LinkedIn:   / muzamilhasan