Black Box Thinking
Call to Action Podcast
It’s Nice That Insights
@eugbrandstrat
Resources for starting out in account management, from JKR
by Freya Spencer
Resources
Published 15th May 2025
Resources
Account management is about bridging the gap between clients and creatives – keeping work on track, relationships strong and ideas moving. Freya Spencer, Account Director at Jones Knowles Ritchie, knows how vital the role is to delivering great work. Here, she shares the books, podcasts, tips and tools that supported her own growth. Whether you're considering a career in accounts or looking to step up, these resources are a great place to start.
📚 Books
- Black Box Thinking by Matthew Syed
How mistakes and failure can actually push you forward – especially relevant in agency life, where things move fast and plans change. - The Making of a Manager by Julie Zhuo
Written by someone who learned management on the job – helpful if you're figuring out how to lead, give feedback, and get the best out of a team. - How to Own the Room by Viv Groskop
A really readable book on presenting and speaking up – good if you want tips for leading and being yourself in meetings or pitches.
🎙️Podcasts
- Creative Agency Account Manager Podcast
A great listen for anyone starting out or growing in account management. Hosted by Jenny Plant, it features chats with people from the industry on what makes strong client relationships and how to run projects smoothly. - Call to Action Podcast
Hosted by Giles Edwards from Gasp, Call to Action interviews creatives, strategists, and marketers with a good mix of honesty, humour, and insight. Useful for hearing how others think about the work.
Creative Agency Account Manager Podcast
💻 Blogs and online insight
- Client Relationship Consultancy Blog (CRC)
This blog is full of quick reads on how to be a better partner to your clients, from giving feedback to handling tricky conversations. - Insights from It’s Nice That
Covering creative work, trends, and culture, Insights is an engaging way to stay in the loop and broaden your references.
Insights from It's Nice That
📱Social media
- @eugbrandstrat on TikTok
Brand strategy explained clearly, using up-to-date relevant brand examples. Good for keeping up with trends, consumer behaviour and understanding how brand thinking connects to creative work.
🧑🎓 Career and events
- JKR Sparks Academy
In this paid 16-week programme by Jones Knowles Ritchie, you get live briefs, training and real experience. Worth a look if you’re early in your career, applications open now! - Ladies Wine & Design
Monthly meet-ups for women* in the creative industry. Very relaxed, good chats and a chance to connect with other people doing similar work. - Nicer Tuesdays from It’s Nice That
Talks from creative people across design, art direction, branding and more. Good for inspiration and hearing how different people approach their work.
Ladies Wine & Design
📁 Top tip
Start a Swipe File
Save great creds decks, campaign case studies, moodboards, layouts – anything that you might want to return to and reference. Over time, it becomes a powerful creative library.
Want to know more about account management and how to get into it? Check out our full explainer article here.
Jones Knowles Ritchie is a Creative Lives in Progress brand partner. Every year, we partner with like-minded brands and agencies to support our initiative and keep Creative Lives a free resource for emerging creatives. See here to find out more about how you can work with us.
Published 15th May 2025Resources