In this episode of [radically candid], host Ava Hinds goes deep into the world of Account Management with four Enterprise Account Managers at [cognition]. From what the role actually looks like day-to-day to the soft skills that separate good AMs from great ones, this episode is an honest, inside look at what it takes to build lasting client relationships in the ad tech space and why the shift to Streaming TV is changing everything about how value gets proven.

Who's This Conversation For? 

This conversation is for anyone considering a career in account management, agency and brand partners who want to understand what makes client relationships actually work, and anyone curious about how Streaming TV is reshaping the way advertisers measure success and ROI.

What You'll Learn By Listening

1. What Account Management Really Means AJ Gardner and Annie Monaghan break down the hybrid nature of the AM role, part strategist, part consultant, part advocate. Before any recommendation gets made the best AMs start with one thing, listening.

• Learn why understanding a client's business, differentiators, and gaps matters more than pitching a solution and how that approach shapes every interaction from onboarding forward.

2. The Full Client Lifecycle Annie walks through what it looks like to bring a new client into the platform, from onboarding to ongoing optimization.

• Getting a client in the driver's seat isn't just about platform access, it's about making sure every internal team, from Operations to Finance to Product, understands what success looks like for that partner.

3. Proactivity as a Retention Strategy AJ shares a real example of how noticing a pattern across a handful of dealership requests led to a fully packaged live sports and CTV bundle shared proactively with agency partners before they ever asked.

• This is the mindset the whole team operates with, don't wait for the ask. Stay on the pulse, anticipate the need, and show up before the client has to.

4. Trust Is Built in the Hard Moments Kirsten Scutaro and Kelly Bourbonnais get candid about what client retention really comes down to and it's not perfection.

• When something goes wrong, how you show up to fix it matters more than never making a mistake. Clients stay because they trust you, and trust is built through transparency, in-person connection, and accountability.

5. The Streaming Shift And Why the Data Changes Everything The team breaks down why the move from traditional TV to Streaming TV isn't just a media trend, it's a measurement revolution.

• From [cognition]'s Headless Analytics Tag to real-time attribution that connects ad exposure to actual consumer action, streaming unlocks insights that traditional TV never could. Go-to-market time is cut in half, and reporting can be set up and delivered in real time.

Connect with the Guests

• AJ Gardner (Enterprise Account Manager)
• Annie Monaghan (Enterprise Account Manager)
• Kirsten Scutaro (Enterprise Account Manager)
• Kelly Bourbonnais (Enterprise Account Manager)

Interested in joining the team? 

Account Manager and Account Coordinator roles are currently open. 

Reach out to Alex Mills or visit [cognition]'s careers page.

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