The Chatroom: Hamza Bhatti on content creation, personal branding and Iran visit

Content creator Hamza Bhatti joined The Chatroom with Shizza for a wide-ranging conversation on personal branding, digital storytelling, entrepreneurship and the experiences that shaped his journey from aspiring creator to one of Pakistan's most followed online personalities.

Reflecting on his career, Bhatti said success did not come overnight, revealing that he spent nearly five years creating content before earning a meaningful income.

"You have to learn to be in love with the art of getting uncomfortable," he said, adding that consistency and continuous learning helped him build a sustainable career after leaving his job to pursue content creation full time.

Offering advice to aspiring creators, Bhatti encouraged people to focus on originality instead of trying to imitate successful personalities.

"Don't be the next Hamza, don't be the next Mooroo, be the first you," he said. "The world doesn't want another one; they want the first version of you."

The conversation also explored Bhatti's childhood, where he spoke about being bullied because of his appearance. He said those experiences became a source of motivation rather than resentment.

"I took all that negativity... and used it as fuel to become successful," he said.

A significant part of the discussion centred on Bhatti's recent visit to Iran, where he documented his experience attending the funeral of the martyred Ayatollah Khamenei. He shared his observations of the public response, described his interactions with local people and reflected on praying alongside Shia worshippers as a Sunni Muslim, saying the experience reinforced the importance of unity and mutual understanding.

"Boundaries only exist on maps," Bhatti said while describing the hospitality he experienced during the visit.

Bhatti also explained why he keeps his family life private despite acknowledging that family-centred content often attracts greater engagement and commercial opportunities.

"Whatever is dear to you, you do not put in public," he said, adding that maintaining personal boundaries allows him to focus on producing meaningful, high-quality content rather than pursuing short-term online engagement.

The discussion further covered Pakistan's evolving digital creator economy, the growing role of storytelling in shaping the country's image, LinkedIn as a platform for professional growth and Bhatti's plans to mentor emerging creators through his Creator School initiative.

Discussing Pakistan's international image, Bhatti welcomed greater investment in storytelling.

"Story is king," he said, adding that producing content in English helps present Pakistan to wider international audiences.

Watch the full episode of The Chatroom with Shizza for the complete conversation.