An hour later, the room was packed. The investors sat with their arms crossed, looking skeptical and tired.

Kabir looked out at the hundreds of empty seats. He picked a red chair in the middle and practiced delivering his closing statement directly to it.

"Let me tell you about a woman named Sunita," Kabir said softly. Then, he paused.

Frustrated, Kabir pulled out his phone and mindlessly scrolled through social media to calm his nerves. That is when a video thumbnail caught his eye. It was a familiar face with a calm, reassuring smile: Ankur Warikoo. The title of the post read: How to Speak Effectively and Win Your Audience. Kabir clicked on it.