Top female-owned marketing agencies

The rise of female-owned marketing agencies is reshaping the industry, bringing fresh perspectives, innovative strategies and a commitment to inclusivity. These agencies are not just breaking barriers, they’re setting new standards for creativity, leadership and business success.

It’s well documented that investing in female founders has wide-reaching societal benefits. Female entrepreneurs are proven time and time again to outperform male counterparts, excelling in leadership roles, generating significantly more revenue and creating more jobs in the process.

But you don’t have to convince us.

At Codi, we’re proudly female-owned and passionate about championing other women in marketing. We’re dedicated to increasing visibility, recognising talent and connecting our networks to even more inspiring women in business.

So, with that in mind, we’ve compiled a list of some of the best female marketing agency founders in the biz.

Top female-owned marketing agencies

From powerhouse agencies driving global campaigns to boutique marketing firms delivering hyper-personalised strategies, female entrepreneurs are making their mark in every corner of the industry.

Whether you’re looking for inspiration, a potential agency partner or just want to see who to watch out for, this list highlights some of the top female-owned marketing agencies you need to know about.

In no particular order, here they are!

1. Codi: Louise Read

Best for: All-round B2B marketing support and execution for SaaS businesses 

First, let us tell you a bit about Louise Read, who founded Codi.

With over 13 years’ experience scaling SaaS companies, Louise is the founder of the UK’s first B2B Fractional Marketing team dedicated to high-growth SaaS businesses – Codi. 

Previously, Louise held the position of Marketing Lead at Klaviyo, where she led the development and scaling of their go-to-market strategy across EMEA and APAC.

Having climbed the career ladder from Marketing Assistant to CMO, Louise is also committed to educating the industry on the dangers of overloading junior marketers. As well as being an advocate for positive change in the hiring process, Louise regularly coaches female SaaS founders and B2B marketers. 

Louise, and her team at Codi, understand the biggest challenge Series A and B SaaS businesses face is a lack of dedicated marketing expertise. That’s why Codi provides both CMO-level strategy support and execution services to help SaaS start-ups build sustainable foundations and accelerate growth through revenue-attributed marketing. 

Connect with Louise Read on LinkedIn or send a message here.

2. I Am Female: Annie Bartley

Best for: Cutting-edge design and creative direction

Annie is the founder and creative director of ‘I Am Female,’ an award-winning, queer-led design and branding agency powered by women. With over 16 years of experience, Annie has collaborated with prominent brands, such as Unilever, the BBC and the Royal Academy of Arts.

In 2021, she launched her agency, I Am Female, a queer-led design and branding agency powered by women. This award-winning company works with global brands, as well as smaller queer and female-founded companies. With expert design, creative vision, and industry-renowned strategies, I Am Female harnesses passion to help brands tell bold, innovative stories—infusing unapologetic energy into everything they do.

Connect with Annie Bartley on LinkedIn.

3. Authority Plug: Lashay Lewis

Best for: BoFu content strategies for SaaS companies

Lashay Lewis is the founder of Authority Plug, a consultancy specialising in bottom-of-funnel (BoFu) content strategies for high-growth B2B SaaS companies. She has a deep understanding of how product-led content drives conversions and helps brands create highly targeted materials.

With over a decade of experience, Lashay has successfully led and built profitable content marketing strategies, generating over seven figures in attributable pipeline for her clients.

As a thought leader in the content marketing space, Lashay frequently shares insights on content-to-pipeline attribution, demand conversion and the nuances of effective SaaS positioning. She is also an advocate for personal growth and resilience, sharing her journey from self-doubt to success to inspire others in the industry.

Connect with Lashay Lewis on LinkedIn.

4. Hattrick: Malin Cunningham

Best for: B2B Marcomms and PR that unlocks green economy potential 

Malin is the Founder and Managing Director of Hattrick, a certified B Corp marcomms and PR agency. Hattrick is Manchester’s first female-founded marcomms and PR agency to achieve B Corp status, proving that profit and purpose can go hand in hand.

The agency helps B2B businesses navigate the green economy and demystifies sustainability through their accredited Net Zero masterclass. Hattrick’s expertise spans PR, thought leadership and accredited Carbon Literacy training, empowering brands to lead with impact.

Malin is a sought-after speaker, panelist and contributor, offering insights on how brands can confidently navigate the path to net zero and communicate their sustainability journey effectively. A dedicated advocate for sustainability, she also serves as a Carbon Literacy Board Trustee and certified trainer.

Connect with Malin Cunningham on LinkedIn.

5. ICUC Social: Nicole van Zanten

Best for: Around-the-clock social media management

Nicole is Co-President and Chief Growth Officer at ICUC, a social media management services company delivering content moderation, community management, strategy and social listening services.

At ICUC, Nicole leads a team of marketing and innovation experts to bridge the gap between brands and consumers. With over 15 years of experience in social media marketing, public relations and event management, she has worked with clients across industries and global markets.

Nicole’s mission is to create, scale and optimise teams that drive growth and deliver results, while fostering a culture of collaboration, learning and excellence. She is always looking for ways to innovate, improve and empower. 

Connect with Nicole van Zanten on LinkedIn.

5. Black Girl Digital: LaToya Shambo

Best for: Building brands through influencer marketing

LaToya Shambo is a marketing expert and entrepreneur, recognised for her dedication to diversity and inclusion within the influencer marketing industry. She has more than 15 years of experience across various roles, including media buying, planning and brand partnerships.

In 2016, LaToya founded Black Girl Digital, a global creator media agency dedicated to closing the pay equity gap for creators of color. The agency focuses on delivering innovative, data-driven solutions tailored for businesses and creators, effectively scaling and building brands through integrated influencer campaigns.

Under her leadership, Black Girl Digital has collaborated with major brands such as Walt Disney World, Subaru, YouTube and African Pride, consistently delivering impactful campaigns.

Beyond her agency work, LaToya is a trusted voice in both her community and the industry. She has been invited by major corporate brands like Disney and Publicis Group to share her expertise, reflecting her status as a leading authority on diversity, equity, inclusion and influencer marketing.

Connect with LaToya Shambo on LinkedIn.

6. Digital Voices: Jennifer Quigley-Jones

Best for: Effective influencer marketing campaigns

Jennifer is the driving force behind Digital Voices, an agency she founded in 2017 with a £500 personal investment. Since then, she has redefined how brands collaborate with influencers and leverage social media, setting new industry standards.

Digital Voices is an award-winning agency helping brands harness the power of influencer marketing with precision and impact. Trusted by global brands like Unilever, Yoplait, Adobe and Duolingo, Digital Voices has grown rapidly, expanding to an international team of over 80 people, with offices in New York and London.

As the only active female CEO of a UK-based influencer agency generating over $10 million in revenue, Jennifer is a sought-after speaker at global events like TEDx, SXSW and Web Summit. Beyond shaping the influencer marketing landscape, she’s a champion for diversity in the industry and a passionate advocate for empowering the next generation of entrepreneurs. 

Connect with Jennifer Quigley-Jones on LinkedIn.

7. Milk & Honey PR: Kirsty Leighton

Best for: B Corp-certified PR 

Kirsty is Founder and Group CEO at Milk & Honey PR. She has over 30 years’ experience developing and delivering integrated communications campaigns for some of the world’s biggest brands.

She specialises in helping businesses and brands build meaningful engagement with diverse stakeholders. This involves guiding organisations to understand how their brand is perceived, fostering authentic dialogue with key influencers and leveraging these relationships to drive commercial success.

Milk & Honey PR is a dynamic, employee-owned PR agency with offices in London, Munich, Amsterdam, New York and Singapore. As a collective of passionate storytellers and strategists, their employee-owned model is celebrated as central to their shared success.

Connect with Kirsty Leighton on LinkedIn.

8. Better Together: Catharine Montgomery

Best for: Purpose-driven brand strategy

Catharine is the founder and CEO of Better Together, a communications agency dedicated to driving positive change for purpose-driven organisations. With over 15 years of experience in public relations, Catharine has previously specialised in educational, environmental and social justice issues, leading campaigns that have fostered significant social change.

Under her leadership, Better Together has partnered with organisations like Fair Fight Action, providing comprehensive support in media relations, crisis communications, rapid response and digital strategy, particularly ahead of significant elections.

Through Better Together, Montgomery amplifies underrepresented voices and champions causes that promote a more just and sustainable world, leveraging her extensive expertise to craft impactful communication strategies.

Connect with Catharine Montgomery on LinkedIn.

9. Cantadora: Emma Pegg

Best for: Content for climate and nature tech founders

Emma has been in the marketing space for over ten years, with a strong focus on content and product marketing for fast-growth tech startups. In 2023, she founded her agency, Cantadora, working exclusively with climate and nature tech founders. Through coaching, content strategy and founder-led storytelling programs, the agency crafts compelling stories to attract customers, investors and communities.

Cantadora offers tailored programs like ‘ROOT’ for pre-seed founders and ‘SHOOT’ for seed-stage startups, focusing on clarifying product narratives, creating sales enablement materials and laying the foundations for market expansion. To date, Emma has supported more than ten startups and over 25 founders through Cantadora.

Beyond work, Emma is passionate about sustainable food systems, feminist storytelling and wild spaces.

Connect with Emma Pegg on LinkedIn.

10. MouseCode: Clarissa Boys

Best for: Intuitive websites and data-driven SEO

Clarissa Boys is the Founder and Creative Director of MouseCode, a digital agency specialising in website design, development and digital marketing. She established MouseCode in 2016, leveraging her expertise in design and development to build a company that delivers engaging websites for clients worldwide.

Under Clarissa’s leadership, MouseCode has grown into a leading digital agency with a talented team of designers, developers and strategists. The agency specialises in platforms like WordPress and Shopify, offering services that combine beautiful design with functional, user-friendly development.

Connect with Clarissa Boys on LinkedIn.

11. ASPR: Abi Spencer

Best for: Flexible PR for high-value sales

With over 15 years experience, Abi has collaborated with clients across various industries, including technology, finance and lifestyle. She is known for her strategic approach to public relations, focusing on building meaningful relationships between brands and their audiences.

She is the Founder and Head of PR at ASPR, a PR and content marketing agency. Under her leadership, ASPR has grown into a reputable agency known for delivering impactful strategies and campaigns that truly resonate with the right audience.

Abi is also an active contributor to industry discussions, sharing insights on PR strategies, agency life and leadership. She frequently speaks at conferences and participates in panels, offering her expertise on effective communication and brand positioning.

Connect with Abi Spencer on LinkedIn.

12. Rise at Seven: Carrie Rose

Best for:SEO and brand awareness

Carrie Rose is the powerhouse behind Rise at Seven, a trailblazing search-first creative agency. After earning a degree in Digital Media from the University of Leeds in 2014, she spent seven years mastering SEO before co-founding Rise at Seven in 2019.

In just three years, she scaled the agency to 100+ employees, with offices in Sheffield, London, Manchester and New York. Her agency delivers award-winning campaigns for brands like Xbox, Bumble and Klarna.

What sets Rise at Seven apart is their “search-first” approach, meaning SEO insights are used to fuel creative content and PR strategies. This approach results in campaigns that not only generate buzz but also rank and drive traffic.

With rapid growth, innovative strategies and a fearless marketing style, Rise at Seven is undeniably one of the fastest-growing agencies in the digital space.

Connect with Carrie Rose on LinkedIn.

13. Klowt: Amelia Sordell

Best for:Personal brand development

Amelia is the founder of Klowt, a personal branding agency helping business leaders, founders and professionals grow their influence, particularly on LinkedIn. Known for her direct approach, Amelia has built a strong reputation for helping clients develop authentic, high-impact personal brands that drive engagement and business growth.

Through Klowt, she and her team provide services like content creation, ghostwriting and brand strategy to position their clients as thought leaders in their industries. Amelia is also a prominent LinkedIn creator, regularly sharing insights on branding, entrepreneurship and leadership.

Connect with Amelia Cordell on LinkedIn.

Got questions about the topic of women in marketing? Read on!

Is marketing a female-dominated field?

Marketing has a strong female presence but isn’t strictly female-dominated. Women make up a significant portion of the workforce in marketing, particularly in junior and mid-level roles. According to various industry reports, women often hold the majority of positions in areas like PR, communications, content marketing and brand strategy.

However, when it comes to leadership roles, such as CMOs, marketing agency founders and executive-level positions, men still hold a disproportionate share. While progress is being made, the ‘glass ceiling’ remains a challenge in the marketing industry, as it does in many other fields.

Is there a gender pay gap in marketing?

Yes, there is a gender pay gap in marketing, just as in many other industries. While marketing has a strong female workforce, women, especially those in leadership roles, tend to earn less than their male counterparts.

Key Insights on the Gender Pay Gap in Marketing:

• Women in marketing earn less on average – Studies consistently show that female marketers earn less than male marketers, even when controlling for experience and job level.
• Leadership disparity – Although women make up the majority of the marketing workforce, fewer hold executive roles like CMO or agency CEO, where salaries are significantly higher.
• Negotiation and pay transparency – Research suggests that women in marketing may be less likely to negotiate salaries, and companies with less pay transparency often have wider gender pay gaps.
• Industry variation – The gap is more pronounced in corporate and agency settings than in freelance or consultancy roles, where women have more control over pricing.

While some progress has been made, there’s still work to do to close the gap!

Who are the most famous female marketers?

There are several well-known (arguably famous) women in marketing today, such as Ann Handley and Bozoma Saint John.

Ann Handley is a digital marketing pioneer, bestselling author and Chief Content Officer at MarketingProfs. She’s known for her expertise in content marketing and storytelling. Her book Everybody Writes is a go-to resource for marketers worldwide. Through her writing, speaking engagements and courses, she helps businesses create exceptional customer-focused content.

Bozoma Saint John is a powerhouse marketing executive known for her bold, culture-driven approach to branding. She has held top marketing roles at companies like PepsiCo, Apple Music, Uber, and Netflix, shaping some of the most influential campaigns in modern marketing. With her signature confidence and storytelling expertise, she continues to inspire as a speaker, author, and advocate for diversity in business.