Pedram: jazz house music, gaslighting yourself, creating STELLA.

Sharjeel: Lemon Leads AI

In this episode, I’m joined by Sharjeel, a Pakistani immigrant and the founder of LemonLeads AI, a tech company helping SaaS businesses generate high-quality leads at scale. We dive into Sharjeel’s early life, his struggles in college, and how those challenges unexpectedly became the gateway to his career in sales. From there, we unpack how he carved out a name for himself in the Pakistani tech ecosystem, took risks without a clear blueprint, and ultimately built a company that’s now serving global clients. This conversation is about grit, reinvention, and building something meaningful where there wasn’t an obvious path forward. Follow Sharjeel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sharjeelshahabb/ [https://www.instagram.com/sharjeelshahabb/] Follow LemonLeads AI on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lemonleads.ai/ [https://www.instagram.com/lemonleads.ai/] FOR THE PLOT Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/forthe.plotpodcast/] TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@fortheplot.podcast] Watch on YouTube [https://youtube.com/@fortheplotpodcast-anniewu?si=Tn3hMabxJJg591q7]

Eli: Monty's Pizza

In this episode, I’m sitting down with Eli, a college friend who always joked about opening a pizza shop—and is now actually doing it. Eli didn’t thrive in school, didn’t follow the “expected” path, and instead kept saying yes to opportunities that felt right. Today, he’s running Monty’s Pizza, a Brooklyn pop-up built on intuition, persistence, and betting on what you already know. Follow Monty's Pizza on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/montyspizza.world/ [https://www.instagram.com/montyspizza.world/] FOR THE PLOT Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/forthe.plotpodcast/] TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@fortheplot.podcast] Watch on YouTube [https://youtube.com/@fortheplotpodcast-anniewu?si=Tn3hMabxJJg591q7]

Pedram: jazz house music, gaslighting yourself, creating STELLA.

This week on For The Plot, I sit down with Pedram, one half of the jazz house duo Stella, to talk about what it means to come home to your craft. Music has been part of Pedram’s story since childhood — but it wasn’t until the stillness of COVID that he truly reconnected with it. What started as a creative outlet became a full-on homecoming to who he’s always been. In our conversation, we talk about his winding journey through music, the strange relationship artists have with social media, and how he’s learned to “gaslight” himself into believing his ideas are worth obsessing over — until they become reality. We also dive into why community is everything: the people who push you forward, reflect your potential, and remind you that your dreams are possible. Follow Pedram on IG: https://www.instagram.com/peddybeats/ [https://www.instagram.com/peddybeats/] Follow STELLA. on IG: https://www.instagram.com/sounds.by.stella/ [https://www.instagram.com/sounds.by.stella/] FOR THE PLOT Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/forthe.plotpodcast/] TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@fortheplot.podcast] Watch on YouTube [https://youtube.com/@fortheplotpodcast-anniewu?si=Tn3hMabxJJg591q7]

Cat: Cape Town, co-living, curated experiences

This week on For The Plot, I sit down with my friend Cat, a world traveler and founder of Tempo Co-living in Cape Town, South Africa. After spending the last few years hopping from one corner of the globe to another—from Hawaii to Europe to Africa—Cat has built a life centered around community, curiosity, and connection. Her journey began at a co-living in Hawaii, where she first experienced the magic of shared living: spontaneous dinners, surf sessions, and friendships that felt like family. That experience set her on a path of designing spaces that bring people together. In this episode, we talk about what makes co-living so transformative, how travel changes your sense of home, and what it really means to create a life that expands you. Whether you’ve ever dreamed of packing up and chasing community around the world—or just want a reminder that connection is the ultimate currency—this one’s for you. Follow Tempo Co-living on IG: https://www.instagram.com/tempo_coliving_cpt/ [https://www.instagram.com/tempo_coliving_cpt/] FOR THE PLOT Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/forthe.plotpodcast/] TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@fortheplot.podcast] Watch on YouTube [https://youtube.com/@fortheplotpodcast-anniewu?si=Tn3hMabxJJg591q7]

Sahara: building community, making friends as an adult, and Let's Play NYC

I sit down with Sahara, the founder of Let’s Play NYC — a community built around trying new things and bringing people together through play. In this episode, we talk about what it really means to build community and make friends in a city that’s known for being fast-paced and transient. Sahara shares her journey of starting Let’s Play NYC from a genuine love of connection and curiosity — not for clout or business, but simply because she wanted to create more moments of joy. We dive into themes of contentment, presence, and “being where your feet are” — learning how to slow down, appreciate the now, and find fulfillment in the process rather than the outcome. Whether you’re craving more connection or just looking to feel inspired to build something meaningful, this one’s for you. Follow Let's Play NYC on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/letsplaynyc/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/letsplaynyc/?hl=en] Follow Sahara on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saharamone_/?hl=en [https://www.instagram.com/saharamone_/?hl=en] FOR THE PLOT Instagram [https://www.instagram.com/forthe.plotpodcast/] TikTok [https://www.tiktok.com/@fortheplot.podcast] Watch on YouTube [https://youtube.com/@fortheplotpodcast-anniewu?si=Tn3hMabxJJg591q7]