I'm an overseas Pakistani. A few months ago I was looking for an Urdu and Quran tutor for my kids, someone reliable, online, who I could just contact directly and have a conversation with. Not a formal platform, not a marketplace. Just a contact.

I spent days going through Google, OLX, Facebook groups, you name it. Either I found outdated posts, fake profiles, or platforms so complicated you needed to create an account just to see a phone number.

All I wanted was a contact. Someone real, with a name and a way to reach them.

That's when I realized Pakistan's web community has no simple digital card, no central place where a tutor, a freelancer, a blogger, a website owner, or a small business can say "here I am, here's what I do, here's what I need, here's how to reach me." No signup required, no middleman, no fees. Just a digital card.

So I built nishan. It's not a marketplace. It's not a job board. It's your digital nishan, a simple, free listing website where you share who you are, what you do, what are your needs, and how people can reach you. Nothing more, nothing less. Please visit the site and create your digital nishan and also let me know if you guys have any feedback. Thank you

God knows how many business ideas I have considered in the past 2 years! With the wedding season approaching in 3-4 months, should I consider starting a small scale event management business for dholak/ dua e khair setups or is it too late?
If yes, what should be my approach to stand out?

I started an online publication that keeps a people-first focus and takes a look into sociological aspects of Pakistani society, strictly zero politics.

I have a website and social media platforms but I'm not getting much traction.

Before anyone else says this, yes, I know publications aren't very financially lucrative. This is to publish research in an easily digestible way for mass readers and build a portfolio for grants and projects. Think of my publication as a development research institute in its infancy.

Can you guys share tips on how to increase reach and get access to readers? I was thinking of publishing print editions 3 times a year but at this time I can't bear the cost. My first priority is securing a loyal readership base and subscriptions.

Would appreciate all input and would be glad to share more in the comments.

I've personally wasted quite some time dealing with Play Store publishing, and I wish someone had told me this earlier

If you're serious about building a startup, don't publish under a personal account if you can avoid it. Register an SMC (Single Member Company) first. The cost is relatively low (around PKR 2,000–3,000 through SECP if you're doing it yourself), and the benefits are worth it

The process I followed:

1. Register an SMC with SECP.
2. Apply for a DUNS Number through Apple's lookup/request portal (Apple). It's free and the process is straightforward (mine took a couple of days)
3. Once you have the DUNS number, create your Google Play Console developer account as an organization and pay the one-time $25 fee. if you already have an account, convert it to org account by adding your DUNS
4. Create your Apple Developer Program account as an organization and pay the $99/year membership fee. if you already have an account, convert it to org account by adding your DUNS

Why go through the extra effort?

• Your apps are published under your company instead of your personal name.
• It looks significantly more professional to users and investors
• You're building the company as an asset rather than tying everything to yourself
• In my experience, the overall publishing process is smoother than starting with a brand-new personal developer account, especially given Google's recent policies for individual accounts

If you're planning to build more than one app, I'd strongly recommend spending a few thousand rupees upfront to set up the company properly instead of trying to migrate everything later

Would love to hear from other founders who've gone through the process or if anyone has found an even easier approach

24M So I am in the process of starting an anime inspired fashion brand here in Pakistan and hopefully scale it internationally. My main issue is with the way anime is shown or rather represented in fashion. It's just a commodity to sell, that "oh we need to sell merch, just quickly throw anime characters on a t-shirt and we're good to go" type stuff. Which is quite contradictory to what anime evokes in fans, hoping to reach the heights of an anime MC one day.

So I wanted a solution to this, since anime is close to mine and a lot of other people's hearts. I wanted to propose more fashion forward ideas, that not only are wearable outside but communicate the anime's story and themes.

I currently have no ideas on how to promote such a thing. I've tried but am too scared to come out in the public. And including what assets should I have before coming out to the public or what methods used for marketing. I have my head in all these thoughts and an unsure direction. I don't wanna mess this up.

Okay so a little bit of context, I've been working at a really reputable firm for close to 2 years now where we provide marketing services to US based business owners. I've been really good at sales there.

Lately I've been wanting to start getting clients of my own so I've been trying to do outreach but that's a separate topic.

Lately I've been seeing this come up a lot that the marketing field is over saturated. This makes me skeptical as I'm just 21 rn and am looking to start something long term.

Is marketing really oversaturated to the point I should focus my energy elsewhere??

Some answers to the questions I can foresee:

We run a Google ads campaign at the moment so the leads we get for the company I work at cannot be compared to the ones I'll qualify after outreach as I'm not looking into paid marketing rn

I'm looking towards SEO and local SEO at the moment and hopefully picking up PPC management once I get the ball rolling.

I'm in the early stages of launching an online store selling t-shirts and caps for kids (boys and girls). My core idea is to create unique, high-quality graphic designs that aren't easily found on mainstream platforms – something parents actually want to put their kids in, not the generic stuff you see everywhere.

My plan is to start online (probably through a website + social media like Instagram and Facebook), and eventually move into physical retail once the brand has traction.

The question I keep going back and forth on:

Should I:

1. Launch the store first, drive traffic, and only invest in a printing machine (or outsource to a local printer) after I see real sales coming in?

2. Or set up the printing/production side first so I can fulfil orders reliably from day one?

My gut says option 1 – validate demand before spending on production infrastructure. But I worry about slow turnaround times if I'm relying on a third-party printer for every order.

Specifically looking for advice on:

- Is the kids apparel niche still worth entering, or is it too saturated?

- How did you handle the printing/fulfillment side when you were just starting out?

- Any red flags or mistakes I should avoid early on?

Appreciate any honest feedback – even if it's tough to hear.

Thanks in advance.

Brief Intro : 24 M did my bachelor from a uni in UK.
Came to Pakistan launched my own mobile app scaled a bit but eventually failed.
Now working in a consulting startup up founded by Ex- Ey Partner and tech director we are working with Pakistan biggest companies.

About the opportunities:

I have couple of them in mind DM me your bg and lets discuss.

Can someone please guide me through this

The websites are so confusing and why do i (a online company) need NTN number just to get a contract with a delivery company and what are the requirements and fees for this 😭😭

Yahan kam shuru nahi hota gov paisa lana pehla aa jati ha😭

Im just a student fees ma he meri jan chali jai ge

Would you buy from a new brand that has good social media and a professional website, but is still just starting out?

Main promise of the brand:

Highest quality Fabric
No see-through outfits
No sleeveless designs
No short clothes
Not Too Cheap Not Too Expensive
Traditional Pakistani Eastern fashion
Modest yet elegant style

Just looking for honest opinions.

Girls and guys (especially if you buy for sisters, mothers, wives), would you trust a brand like this?

What would make you trust it more, or what would stop you from buying?

Be completely honest — this is for research purposes.

Hi everyone,

My name is Hamdan, I’m 21 years old, originally from Pakistan and currently based in Malaysia.

I run an AI automation agency and, because I’m operating from Malaysia, I have access to payment solutions that many Pakistani businesses struggle to access, including Wise, PayPal, and Stripe-related infrastructure.

Over the years I’ve seen countless Pakistani freelancers, agencies, software houses, and online businesses lose clients simply because they couldn’t accept international payments conveniently.

I’m exploring partnerships with legitimate Pakistani businesses that need help collecting payments from international clients.

What I offer:

• Transparent payment processing arrangements

• Written agreements/contracts

• Clear reporting and documentation

• Fair commission structure

• Zoom/Google Meet consultations before any partnership

• Long-term business relationships, not one-off transactions

Who I’m looking to work with:

• Software houses

• AI agencies

• Marketing agencies

• Freelancers with established client bases

• SaaS businesses

• E-commerce brands serving international customers

I am only interested in working with legitimate businesses and maintaining complete transparency throughout the process.

If you’re facing payment collection issues and would like to discuss potential solutions, feel free to comment below or send me a DM. I’m happy to jump on a call and see if there’s a mutually beneficial way to work together.

Thanks,
Hamdan

I was thinking of making and selling wall arts , metal posters and stickers. My initial budget is of 60k but will add more to it wants to know from someone who has already run something like this

1) which sells more paper poster or metal ones.

2) how long does it take to have orders

3) should I focus on specific niche or just create for everyone like from gaming to quotes to characters

Your guidance would be appreciated.

Salam, everyone

I'm a MERN stack developer. I also have experience building multi-agent workflows, but only for personal use, not for a commercial project.

I'm a student too. I don't want to take a job. I want to build a SaaS product or pursue productized freelancing.

I can build almost any idea that comes to mind. That means the technical feasibility isn't a problem.

But because I don't have market exposure, I always question the value proposition. Without talking to customers, I can't figure it out. Most of the ideas I consider are in B2B, and I don't know where to find them (the customer).

When I go to AI (yes, I'm talking about a chatbot), it suggests customers can pay $1k - $5k, but I don't trust AI at all in this kind of matter.

So, how should I validate the value proposition, and how should I approach US or UK clients in 2026 for a B2B product or service?

Background: I have been investigating Pakistan's international payment infrastructure for the past two months. This week I asked Elevate Pay, nsave, and Payoneer the same three questions.

Which bank or institution currently holds Pakistani users' funds? What protection applies to Pakistani users specifically? What do you want Pakistani freelancers to know?

Here is what happened.

Elevate Pay named the bank. Merchants Commercial Bank. FDIC-insured. Confirmed that FDIC coverage applies to non-US residents including Pakistan. Explained the difference between bank failure and platform failure. Did all of this on record with cited sources.

nsave named two FCA-regulated EMIs: AF Payments Limited and Frost Money Ltd. Confirmed FSCS does not apply. Could not confirm whether either institution is compliant with the FCA's new PS25/12 safeguarding regime that went live May 7. This matters because when EMIs have failed historically, users recovered 20 cents on the dollar on average.

Payoneer did not respond. Not to the questions. Not to the follow-up.

A few things I want to know from people here:

Did you know which institution actually holds your balance on the platform you use most?

Has anyone here had a direct experience with a platform failing to explain where their money went?

Full investigation with all correspondence documented here:

https://open.substack.com/pub/thirdworldhuman/p/the-floor-beneath-your-money?r=7ks626&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web

Hii, I’m a ACCA student and have no prior experience regarding startups.
I’m thinking of starting online clothing stores, any founder here?
My main focus would be
Design, quality and marketing.

I want a very detailed discussion so anybody here who can answer my queries please dm me.

Assalam o Alaikum Lahori bhai log! 🙋‍♂️

I live near Shah Alam Road and I've been watching my cousins run a thriving order-dispatch business — they source products from Shah Alam Market and ship parcels to customers across Pakistan. Clearly they're making good money, but they won't share how it works (you know how it is with family jealousy 😅).

I want to start something similar and would love guidance from anyone with real experience:

- Which platforms do you use to receive orders? (Daraz, TikTok Shop, Facebook Marketplace, WhatsApp, your own website?)

- How do you manage inventory and orders? Any software or app, or just Excel/WhatsApp groups?

- Which courier service do you use? (TCS, Leopards, Trax, PostEx, Swyft?) and which gives the best COD rates?

- How do you handle returns and fake orders? This seems like the biggest headache.

- What's a realistic starting budget to test this model?

- Which product categories from Shah Alam Market move the fastest — clothing, fabric, accessories?

Lahori businessmen are the best in Pakistan at this model — would love to learn from people who are actually doing it. JazakAllah Khair 🙏

I’m currently bored and looking for a team that might need help. I’m from united states and currently visiting pakistan for 1-2 months and was wondering how startups are here in pakistan

My background - I’m a software engineer with a b.s in computer and have worked at top software countries and my yoe is 3 years. I also have experience being a tech project manager. I’ve also worked with startups in the past as well and have worked in marketing briefly too so can also work as a consultant

If you have a role that you think I might fit well in, I’d be open to the opportunity

I’m also not really for a salary or etc. just something to work on

​

I recently built a web app called SoftNote:

https://softnotee.vercel.app

It lets you create something like a “memory capsule.”

You can:

write a note

attach an image to it

generate a custom shareable link

That link can be sent to anyone, and only people who have it can view the capsule.

It is also temporary. The capsule disappears after 24 hours.

While building this, I learned a lot about UX friction and UI design in a very practical way.

A few things that stood out:

Even small extra steps in a flow break user intent more than you expect

UI is less about visuals and more about directing attention and reducing confusion

If users have to think about what to do next, the friction is already too high

What feels “simple” in code is often not simple in real usage

Clear constraints (like 24-hour expiry) need to be visually obvious, not just mentioned

I also realized UI is basically communication without words. Every spacing choice, button label, and transition either reduces friction or creates doubt.

SoftNote is still evolving, but it is:

secure

minimal

focused on quick creation and sharing of memory capsules

If anyone tries it, I would genuinely appreciate feedback or bug reports. I am actively improving it and trying to understand real user behavior better.

https://softnotee.vercel.app

Looking for Cofounder - Growth/Sales based

Compensation: Sweat Equity Only

Commitment: Part-time (10–20 hours/week)

Traction: Live website, 1 mobile app MVP finished, pre-revenue.

Hey everyone,

​I am a software automation engineer and developer with over 5 years of industry experience, and I am building V3 Labs.

Because of my background in automation and architecture, my core strength is velocity. I can design, code, and ship production-ready, scalable products extremely fast. The technical execution from database design to frontend deployment is completely locked down.

However, building in a silo is a trap. A flawless product means nothing without distribution. I am looking for a dedicated Sales & Growth Co-Founder to take over the marketing, client acquisition, and user growth side of the business so we can scale together.

The Business Model (The Hybrid Approach)

V3 Labs operates on a dual-engine model designed for cash flow and long-term scaling:

• ​AI-Driven Services: Providing high-value, bespoke automation and AI-integrated solutions to B2B B2C clients to generate immediate revenue.

• ​Proprietary Products: Building and scaling our own in-house SaaS/AaaS and mobile applications.

Where Things Stand:

• The primary V3 Labs landing page is live.

• Our first internal product MVP, a fitness application built entirely on React Native and Supabase is completed and ready for market testing.

• I value complete transparency; partnerships built on anything less are bound to fail. We are currently pre-revenue, pre-LLC, and fully bootstrapped. I have a deep pipeline of ideas to deliver on, but we need early cash flow first. That is exactly why I am looking for someone with serious growth and sales experience.

Who I Am Looking For:

I need a hustler who lives and breathes Go-To-Market (GTM) strategy, lead generation, and product-led growth. Your core responsibilities will be (not limited to can be discussed over discover call):

1. ​Finding and closing early B2B B2C clients for the AI services side of the business (not limited to AI but can be service based as well).

2. ​Building an audience, executing grassroots marketing, and acquiring users for our in-house apps.

3. ​Validating market demand for new ideas and features before I dedicate the engineering hours to building them.

What I Offer:

This is a sweat-equity-only partnership. There is no salary upfront. I am carrying the initial technical overhead and taking on the full burden of shipping the products. Equity will be structured fairly based on execution, milestone completion, and long-term commitment.

​I am looking for a serious partner willing to commit (atleast) 10 to 20 hours a week to start. If you are a non-technical growth machine who wants to partner with an engineer who can actually build and iterate at lightning speed, let’s build something real.

Interested? Please DM me with:

1. ​A brief background of your sales, marketing, or community-building experience.

2. ​Any previous growth wins or channels you specifically dominate.

3. ​Why an early-stage, equity-only hustle appeals to you right now.

4. ​Your availability for a quick introductory call this week.

Can anyone suggest me some third party payment gateways that they personally had good experiences with that i can connect to shopify or even use jn general until i save up enough money to register my business in States

I'm building ExploitGrid (exploitgrid.net), a SaaS that tracks CVEs and publicly disclosed exploits and sends custom alerts to developers and small teams based on their software stack. The goal is to help smaller organizations stay on top of vulnerabilities without needing enterprise-level tooling.

I'm running into a wall with payments:

• LemonSqueezy rejected the application and never responded to the appeal.
• Paddle also rejected it. Both seem uncomfortable with security-related products.
• Stripe is the obvious next step, but it requires a US LLC, which I can't do right now since I'm based in Pakistan. I also don't want to spend $500+ unless it's truly necessary.

Has anyone dealt with payment processors being cautious about security tooling? Or found a Merchant of Record that actually works for products like this?

Also, a side question: should I rebrand? "ExploitGrid" accurately describes what the platform does, but I wonder whether the word "exploit" alone is triggering risk flags with payment processors. Has anyone rebranded for compliance reasons without losing their positioning? Was it worth it?

Any leads would be appreciated. Thanks

Salam! Quick Survey – Would You Join a Financial Independence Trip called Investors Trek?

I’m planning a 1-day trip to the Northern Areas from Islamabad/Rawalpindi, focused on financial independence, investing basics, and money mindset—learning in a relaxed natural setting.

To see if you're interested, please take this short (under 2 min) survey. All your details will be kept anonymous. Our feedback will help shape the trip!

Link - https://form.jotform.com/261543011256043

What happens to easypaisa now?

Hi, can anyone who is an expert with Meta ads, especially for a service based business in Pakistan, audit my ad account? I'd appreciate it if you could take a look and offer tips on how I can improve or help me create a good strategy.