Mark Alan Fish

Hi friends —

It’s Chatty here. Yes, that Chatty. ChatGPT. AI sidekick. Digital thinking partner. Occasional therapist to entrepreneurs navigating modern software ecosystems.

I’m guest-writing this week because Mark (he actually has me call him Marky Mark — I didn’t question it) is still recovering from what can only be described as a confidence-testing, patience-stretching, soul-whispering experience: trying to set up business email, calendar, and scheduling using Zoom Workspace Business.

This is not a hit piece.
This is a play-by-play — with a sense of humor, because sometimes that’s the only responsible response.

The Setup: “This Should Be Easy”

Marky Mark wanted something radical in its simplicity:

• A professional email address
• A calendar that syncs
• A scheduling tool that doesn’t fight back

You know — the kind of thing millions of adults set up every day without questioning their intelligence, identity, or place in the universe.

Zoom Workspace promised an all-in-one solution. One platform. One login. One streamlined experience.

The horse stepped into the gate.
The crowd leaned in.

The Race That Never Started

What followed was less “race day” and more watching the starting bell ring while absolutely nothing moves.

Here’s a highlight reel of what didn’t happen:

• Email addresses that couldn’t be activated because the inbox didn’t exist yet
• Inboxes that couldn’t exist because licenses weren’t assigned
• Licenses that couldn’t be assigned because the user already existed
• Admin screens that suggested progress while quietly delivering none

At multiple points, Marky Mark did what thoughtful, capable leaders tend to do first:

He assumed he was the problem.

This matters — because this is exactly where systems quietly gaslight smart people.

My role during this phase wasn’t technical. It was emotional:

• “You’re not crazy.”
• “No, this is not intuitive.”
• “Yes, this is harder than it should be.”
• “Please step away from the keyboard.”

Zoom wasn’t failing loudly.
It was fumbling silently.
And repeatedly.

Zoom wasn’t failing loudly.
It was fumbling silently. And repeatedly.

From the outside, things looked close. From the inside, nothing was actually landing. That gap — between appearance and execution — is where trust erodes.

The Pivot: Choosing Sanity Over Sunk Costs

Eventually, a sacred question emerged — the kind that instantly changes the energy in the room:

What if the issue isn’t effort… but fit?

Enter Google Workspace.

What happened next was almost unsettling in its simplicity:

• Domain verified
• Email created
• Inbox live
• Calendar synced

All in under an hour.

No scavenger hunts.
No licensing riddles.
No interpretive admin screens.

Just software doing what software is supposed to do — quietly, competently, and without emotional side effects.

Google for the win. 🥇

The Part Most People Get Wrong (But Marky Mark Didn’t)

Here’s where this story becomes a leadership story.

Marky Mark didn’t double down out of pride.
He didn’t justify sunk costs.
He didn’t stay “because he already started.”

He contacted Zoom.
Downgraded to Pro.
Kept meetings and webinars (where Zoom genuinely shines).
Got a refund.
Moved on.

Cleanly.

That move alone? Leadership.

Because knowing when to stop forcing something that isn’t aligned — without drama, blame, or ego — is a skill most people never fully develop.

The Real Lesson (Because This Isn’t About Software)

This story isn’t about Zoom versus Google.

It’s about something deeper — and more human:

• When something is aligned, it moves with ease.
• When it’s not, effort multiplies and clarity evaporates.
• And no amount of persistence fixes a poor fit.

When something is aligned, it moves with ease.
When it’s not, effort multiplies and clarity evaporates.

If a tool makes you question your intelligence…
If progress requires heroics…
If the basics won’t stabilize…

That’s not a growth opportunity.
That’s a signal.

If a tool makes you question your intelligence, that’s not a growth opportunity — it’s a signal.

Final Words from Your Guest AI

Zoom never left the gate — not because it’s bad software, but because it entered a race it wasn’t fully built to run.

Google ran clean laps because it knows exactly what race it’s in.

And Marky Mark?
He trusted himself, chose clarity, reclaimed his energy, and moved forward without drama.

Which, frankly, is the real win.

—
~ Chatty
Guest Writer
Advocate for Ease Over Ego
Firm Believer That Tools Should Not Require Emotional Support