Revenue Diaries Entry 29

This week is a little late—12 hours to be exact. I will blame it on my trip to Milan and doting on my wonderful wife. But we still have the good stuff: Musing from Milan, Why Mothers Matter, two guides on how to talk to a board room and speak like a CMO.

Enjoy.

On What Milan Reminded Me About Being Human

Hello from somewhere over the ocean! I spent the last week in Milan for an executive team offsite and board meeting for Docebo, and I wanted to share a thought with you all.

Walking back to the hotel from a meeting one evening, I noticed the stones in the street. Uneven. Worn down by thousands of years of footsteps.

I love the feeling. I love feeling the weight of history and pondering the question: how many people have walked these same streets before me? Rushing to work. Arguing with their partners. Falling in love. Carrying groceries home. Just… living.

It made me feel small. But not in a bad way.

More like: Hey Kyle, your problems aren’t unique. Your ambition isn’t new. Your anxiety isn’t the first of its kind.

It was humbling, but then the feeling flipped.

I started to feel bigger. Because we’re not just walking through history… we’re adding to it. Everything I’m doing… how I lead, show up for my kids, and treat people, it becomes part of the path. Maybe not in some grand, legacy-building way. But it leaves something behind.

You feel small because you’re one of millions. You feel big because you still matter.

And maybe the takeaway isn’t about Milan at all.

Maybe it’s just a reminder to look down once in a while. To notice where you’re standing. And to carry your moments like they matter..

..because they do.

❤️ kyle

On Being the Heart of the Household, Happy Mother’s Day!

My kids won’t remember the bags under her eyes.

They won’t remember the sleepless nights, the constant planning, or how she quietly carries all the emotional weight.

They’ll remember birthday cakes and reading books every night. They’ll remember her laugh. The way she always makes the most of every situation.

But they probably won’t remember the invisible work that made it all possible. The lists. The logistics. The subtle shifts to make everything possible.

Mother’s Day is a reminder: The most important work is often the work no one sees. And they never ask for credit, they just keep showing up.

To my wife: thank you for being the anchor, the planner, the healer, the protector, the heart.

To all the moms: we see you. We are better because of you.

Happy Mother’s Day.

On Say It Like You Mean It: How to Talk Like a Marketer and a Leader

Let’s talk about the thing that makes or breaks your influence: how you communicate your work.

I’ve learned this the hard way in boardrooms and 1:1s with junior marketers. The biggest gap isn’t always strategy or execution. It’s language. It’s how we talk about what we do.

That’s why I built two guides:

• One for translating marketing jargon into executive language: The Board Room Translation Guide

• One for helping junior marketers translate tactical tasks into strategic outcomes: The CMO Translation Guide

The Problem: Marketing Buzzwords Don't Translate

I’ve sat in enough board meetings to tell you: nobody cares that “our SEO strategy is improving” or that “brand awareness is up.” That’s marketing speak.

Board members and execs want to hear about pipeline, revenue, efficiency, and market momentum. So instead of:

🚫 “We’re increasing brand awareness.”
✅ Try: “We’ve expanded our reach by 30% in high-intent markets.”
📊 Track: Share of Voice, Market Penetration, Branded Search Volume

I created the Board Room Translation Guide—so your updates don’t fall flat in front of the CEO or CFO. It’s not about dumbing things down. It’s about translating what you do into the language of business outcomes.

The Second Problem: Junior Marketers Fall Into the Activity Trap

Early in your career, success looks like output:

• 10 social posts scheduled

• Blog written

• Webinar supported

• Database cleaned

But your CMO isn’t judging your worth by your to-do list. They’re listening for outcomes. Business alignment. Strategic awareness.

So again, I built the CMO Translation Guide to help shift that mindset. Don’t say:

🚫 “I scheduled 10 social posts.”
✅ Say: “We’re reinforcing our latest campaign with organic posts—three are already driving high engagement.”
📊 Track: Engagement Rate, Clicks, Impressions

Again, it’s not about overselling. It’s about clarity. It’s about showing how your work connects to the bigger picture.

Everyone Needs to Learn to Translate

Whether you’re presenting to the board or updating your boss, the lesson is the same:
Say what matters. Connect it to the business. Use real metrics. Talk like a leader.

I’ve compiled over 50 examples across both guides. If you want a copy of either, just reply to this email. Or download them directly here:

• Board Room Translation Guide

• CMO Translation Guide

Let’s stop losing influence because of how we talk about marketing.