Who it's for
This training is for client-facing team members who manage accounts and projects.
See More >Why it matters
Client expectations of agencies have spiked. They want stronger leadership, deeper strategic thinking, more integrated activation, and tangible business impact – agency account managers are the linchpin.
How it works
This certification training program now has 3 levels to choose from: Mastering Client & Project Leadership, Mastering Client Business Strategy, and Mastering Organic Growth. Each level has 4 remote sessions of 2 hours or less.
See More >Who it’s for
This training is for client-facing team members who manage accounts and projects. The three program levels are designed for different ranges of agency experience.
- For more senior leaders: with more than 8 years of experience. Level Three is the best starting point. Participants will learn advanced skills and methodologies to more strategically drive business growth for your clients, be recognized as indispensable client partners, and drive organic growth for your agency.
- For mid-level and more senior leaders: with 5-10 years of experience, Level Two is the best starting point. Participants will learn critical new strategic and leadership skills to more effectively lead clients and become stronger, more proactive partners.
- For mid-level and more junior leaders: with less than 5 years of experience, Level One is the best starting point. Participants will take a more advanced look at the core skills necessary to become strong client leaders.
Applicable to various client-facing roles
Depending on your agency’s structure, this may include account management, client services, project management, department leads, practice leads, etc.
Sending a group?
If you are sending a group, it is ideal to have those who work together on a client. When teams collaborate in the interactive breakout exercises, the impact on that account is even greater. Groups of 2 – 4 people focused on an account is an ideal size. If sending more, simply choose more accounts to focus on.
How it works
This certification training program now has 3 levels to choose from: Level One: Account Management Fundamentals; Level Two: Mastering Agency Strategy; Level Three: Mastering Organic Growth. Each has 4 live remote sessions of 2 hours or less.
By participating in this training, your client leads will learn how to:
- Apply new models and frameworks to accelerate the ability to be more strategic with clients
- More confidently lead clients (now being empowered with their new skills)
- Better understand and address each client’s most pressing business needs
- Better lead the agency’s resources to provide more value to clients
- Increase the agency’s fees
Interactive Breakout Exercises
To ensure everyone applies the training back to their own unique situations, participants will select one high-value account to focus on. They will participate in interactive active breakout exercises and apply the lessons back to this client. The training will conclude with new skills and new plans in place to improve their performance with – and value to – this important account. With this in place, they can then apply their new skills back to all their accounts.
Sending a group?
If you are sending a group, it is ideal to have those who work together on a client. When teams collaborate in the interactive breakout exercises, the impact on that account is even greater. Groups of 2 – 4 people focused on an account is an ideal size. If sending more, simply add more accounts to focus on.
More valuable client leads
Ultimately, the goal of the training is to provide the new methods, models and tools to immediately improve the effectiveness and value of those who manage accounts and projects.
Now three levels of account mastery certification
Mastering Client & Project Leadership
Mastering Client & Project Leadership
The New Role of Account Leadership
Mastering Client & Project Leadership
Effective Project & Client Management
Mastering Client & Project Leadership
Business Writing for Client Management
Mastering Client & Project Leadership
Manage Project Scope & Profitability
Mastering Client Business Strategy
Mastering Client Business Strategy
Master Client Business Analysis
Mastering Client Business Strategy
Faster Research for Bigger Strategic Insight
Mastering Client Business Strategy
Write More Effective Strategy Briefs
Mastering Client Business Strategy
Journey Modeling for Strategic Development
Mastering Organic Growth
Mastering Organic Growth
Diagnostic Client Business Strategy
Mastering Organic Growth
Develop Business-Building Ideas Clients Will Buy
Mastering Organic Growth
Present Those Ideas So Clients Will Sign Off
Mastering Organic Growth
Write Assertive Organic Growth Plans
(pop up explains how to apply this new series)
Took Our Previous Training?
If you participated in the Account Mastery series in 2022 or 2023, you can contact our team for a custom experience which may include recorded sessions plus live sessions.
Past Mirren Account Mastery attendees have included
Meet your instructors
Laura Matthews
Director, Agency Growth Strategy, Mirren
About 
Sharon Honjiyo
Director, Agency Growth Strategy, Mirren
About
Cristina Sarnelli
Associate Director, Agency Growth Strategy, Mirren
About
Laura is Director of Agency Growth Strategy at Mirren. She brings experience across a range of industries and agencies (digital, full service, PR) – giving her a well-rounded perspective in her training.
At Mirren, Laura trains agency teams on client retention, growth, strategy, and new business. In particular, she believes agencies need to lean in more with their clients. “Too often, agencies limit themselves to a vendor role where they’re seen as order takers. The most successful agencies make the effort to deeply understand their clients’ categories and bottom-line goals, and deliver work that is clearly positioned to impact those goals.”
Laura spent nearly six years with VMLY&R, where she led work for Bridgestone, Tennessee Tourism, and Intel, among other brands.
Originally from South Carolina, Laura moved to Seattle in 2019 after spending a decade in Nashville, TN.
Sharon is Director of Agency Growth Strategy at Mirren. She brings senior experience for the agency and client-side. As head of brand marketing at Holland America, she ran their agency rosters and competitive reviews. In her agency tenure, she ran accounts, strategy and new business pitches. All combined, this brings tremendous insight to her training.
At Mirren, she empowers agency teams to become more proactive and strategic business partners. In fact, she believes there are many untapped revenue opportunities for agencies. “As a client, I regularly experienced my agencies missing many of our strategic needs that would have resulted in significant additional work.”
Sharon led account management and strategy at a number of agencies, including DDB, HL2 and Hornall Anderson Design. Prior to joining Mirren, she ran the brand marketing team at Holland America, a premium cruise line within Carnival Corporation – the world’s largest leisure travel company.
Originally from San Francisco, Sharon currently lives in Seattle with her husband
Cristina is Associate Director, Agency Growth Strategy at Mirren, a firm that specializes in organic growth and new business training for agencies in digital, PR, advertising, media, experiential, and more. Each year, more than 700 agencies participate in Mirren’s annual conference, training programs, and webinars (www.mirren.com). Their team has trained CEOs and their senior management teams in every region around the world.
Cristina brings senior experience in B2B account management and strategy with a special focus in qualitative methodology. In addition to her agency background, she spent time consulting independently and in partnership with a management consulting firm on business growth strategies for brands in categories including luxury accommodations, SaaS, and industrial manufacturing. Her background in client leadership and qualitative analysis provides tremendous insight to her training.
At Mirren, she empowers agency teams by training on the importance of buyer journeys, true qualitative insight, irrefutable logic trails and their impact on agency growth. “I encourage agency teams to embrace the lost art of qualitative to uncover real target audience insights – some of the most valuable IP an agency can provide its clients. Ultimately, the goal is to understand and drive target behavior to make an impact to the client’s bottom line.”
Cristina spent the majority of her career running accounts agency-side in the B2B and B2B2C space for companies like Cox Automotive, Olam, FujiFilm Electronics, and Smithfield Foodservice. In her previous consulting role, she led research and delivered strategies to optimize business operations, R&D, and acquisition strategy for brands including Daxko, Private Suite (P/S), and Trane Technologies.
Originally from the Chicagoland area, Cristina moved to Seattle in 2022.
About Mirren
Mirren is a training firm that specializes in providing agency teams with the skills to capture a greater share of each client’s spend. Our team has experience client-side and at agencies that include Wieden + Kennedy, TBWA and VMLY&R.
We provide the new methods, models and tools to have agency teams more effectively lead clients, become indispensable partners, generate organic growth, and win more new business.
In addition to this training series, we provide Custom Training for agency teams and produce Mirren Live, the annual event focused on agency industry innovation and creativity.