Minty Bos-Rich’s Superpower of Eternal Optimism

Meet Minty Bos-Rich – part horse whisperer, part business brain, and full-time cake enthusiast. With an undergrad in equine science and business and a master's in business and economics, Minty brings a mix of can-do attitude and top-notch work ethic to digital agency, true.

She's all about driving great work that moves the agency forward (and sneaking in a sweet treat or two along the way). Always on the go, Minty thrives when she’s busy, buzzing, and building brilliance!

LBB> How did you first get involved in project management and what appealed to you about it?

Minty> After completing my master’s degree in business and economics, I went to work within the marketing department at a construction company. The team was very small, so I was quickly promoted to marketing coordinator, which at 22 was pretty daunting.

Although I loved a large portion of my job such as creating content, writing blogs and press releases, and attending events, it soon became clear that trying to think of exciting ways to market niche equipment to a niche audience, for me, was becoming a bit dull.

Cue, giving myself a firm talking to, analysing what I was good at, and scrolling LinkedIn.

I knew I wanted to work within a creative industry, and organisation had to be a required skill. Continuing to work in the marketing trenches felt a bit too safe, so I threw in a wildcard and applied for a project management role at true.

Although I had never had an official PM role before, it definitely sounded like a good fit, and seeing the impressive roster of clients that true serviced, I knew it was the place for me. The rest is history and I’ve been at true for almost three years.

LBB> What is it about your personality, skills and experience that has made your role such a great fit?

Minty> I was recently told that my superpower is “eternal optimism” – and it’s very true.

There’s always something to be grateful for, always a way forward and always a silver lining.

It’s important to be a positive force within the team, to be upbeat and be able to galvanise people, especially when clients can be demanding, deployments fail or something just goes awry!

I’m also naturally outgoing and enthusiastic, which lends itself to PM-ing, as my job is very sociable. I get to speak to clients and most of the agency every day, which is great.

I think being pragmatic and having common sense goes a long way too. Problem-solving and being proactive definitely helps move things along, being resilient and hardworking has definitely held me in good stead. I truly believe that effort is the twin of success.

My job is difficult and stressful, but it’s absolutely worth it. The feeling of absolute pride when you build and deliver something beautiful that solves a genuine problem and the client loves, can be quite overwhelming (in the best way).

LBB> What piece of advice would you give to someone just starting their career in project management?

Minty> My advice to someone starting out in project management is to focus on communication and relationships.

Tools and processes are important, but your ability to listen, ask the right questions, and build trust with your team and clients will define your success.

Be curious, stay organised, and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Learn from setbacks, celebrate small (and big) wins, and always keep the project’s goals in sight.

Most importantly, remember that your role is to enable others to do their best work while keeping everything moving forward with purpose and positivity.

LBB> Thinking back to some of your most challenging experiences you’ve had in your career, what do you think tends to lie at the heart of the more tense or difficult client-agency relationships?

Minty> A misalignment of expectations. Sometimes a disconnect can occur when clients approve a project without fully reviewing or understanding the documentation or approach.

Questions about scope, delivery methods, or acceptance criteria may arise later, but often aren't asked at the outset. This can lead to difficult situations, especially when the delivered work aligns perfectly with the agreed scope yet still surprises the client (and us!).

From a PM perspective, tense or difficult client-agency relationships often stem from mismatched alignment and communication breakdowns. When the client’s understanding of scope, timelines, or deliverables differs from ours, frustration can quickly build, especially if those gaps aren’t identified and addressed early. A lack of transparency and inconsistent updates (from either side) can also erode trust.

Additionally, emotional investment on both sides, while natural, can escalate tensions if not managed constructively. Strong relationships are built on proactive communication, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to outcomes. When those foundations are weak or neglected, tension tends to follow.

LBB> And what are the keys to building a productive and healthy relationship?

Minty> Honesty, encouragement, mutual respect and consideration. I think it’s so important to have trust in the people you’re working with and be able to leave them to it, knowing the job will be done, and done well. It’s really important to me that my team works hard, works together and all have the same aim, to produce high quality work that exceeds our clients’ (and our own) expectations.

Equally with clients, I think being transparent with progress and timelines is beneficial. Doing what you said you’d do, keeping them in the loop and sharing progress is the key to keeping them on side.

LBB> What’s your view on disagreement and emotion – is there a place for it and if not, why not? If so, why – and what does productive disagreement look like?

Minty> Disagreement and emotion absolutely have a place in project management, and within agencies as a whole, when approached constructively. Disagreement often signals diverse perspectives, which can lead to better decision-making and better outcomes. Emotion, when expressed respectfully, reflects genuine engagement and investment in the project.

I think a productive disagreement is rooted in mutual respect, clear communication, and a shared commitment to project goals, and personal growth. It involves listening actively, challenging ideas – not individuals – and seeking common ground.

As a PM, it’s crucial to create a safe environment where team members feel heard and valued. I think disagreements can often become a catalyst for clarity, alignment, and often better work.

At the end of the day, we’re all people who think and feel and act differently. Of course, there are times when we disagree or argue, but ultimately, it’s because we care about each other and what we do. Everything I do as a PM is to drive project progress and hopefully empower those around me to perform at their best.

LBB> These days, agencies do so much beyond traditional campaigns and as PM you’re pulling together creative, experience, data, e-commerce, social and more – and that complexity can often be mirrored on the client stakeholder side too? What’s the key to navigating (and helping the client navigate) that complexity?

Minty> Just being transparent. I think it’s important to keep communication open and simple, if you can share what’s happening, who’s responsible for each task and a timeline, that’s all you need. I also think it’s important to let clients know that you’re available to help them if they need support or if they need a rubber ducking debug session (not just a tech technique!).

LBB> What recent projects are you proudest of and why? What was challenging about these projects and how did you address those challenges? What was so satisfying about working on these projects?

Minty> So many, all of them. Honestly, I’ve worked on such a variety of projects from pure tech to creative campaigns and everything in between, it’s hard to choose which makes me the proudest. I love being out and about in Bristol and seeing a Cribbs (our fabulous client based in Bristol) campaign. Equally working on designing and building a new portal or website is just as exciting. Working on something from inception to live deployment and beyond is pretty special.

Umbraco upgrades are pretty enjoyable too as they seem to come in all shapes and sizes. The majority of sites we build utilise the Umbraco platform, it provides us and our clients with a flexible, open-source CMS which is great for building customisable, user-friendly websites.

From a pure upgrade, to upgrading and componentising or migrating a new multisite into the instance, each one is a little bit different and it’s great being able to advocate for such a fabulous, flexible and robust CMS like Umbraco.