April, 2026

Zora Marketing was delighted to be invited to 11 Downing Street, joining 50 female founders from across the North East, from Northumberland through to the Tees Valley, all recognised for the role they are playing in building and growing businesses across the region.

It felt like a room that reflected what’s actually happening here. World-class innovation across tech, creative industries and professional services, but without always having the same level of access as other parts of the country.

As Sophie Milliken put it on the night, the barrier has never been ambition, it’s been access. That’s something that resonated across the room, because it’s a reality for many founders.

There’s a huge amount of creative energy in the North East. A real sense that people are building things that matter, often alongside everything else life brings. Many of these businesses are being run around school runs, client work and day-to-day commitments, and still managing to grow. It’s not always the version of entrepreneurship that gets talked about, but it’s a big part of what’s driving the region forward.

It was a privilege to be there representing that, and to hear directly from Kim McGuinness about how North East businesses are pushing for the visibility and investment they deserve, with backing from Rachel Reeves.

From a Zora Marketing perspective, that message is clear day-to-day. Managing Google and LinkedIn ads for local brands and Business & IP Centre North East clients gives a direct view of how ready these businesses are. They’re not trying to get going, they’re already scaling, already delivering results, already building momentum.

Being invited to Downing Street reflects the quality of the businesses there, including Zora Marketing, but the real value will come from what follows: the conversations that continue, the opportunities created, and the investment in female-founded businesses that will hopefully grow from strength to strength.

A huge thank you to City Ladies Networking and Natalie Turner for bringing it all together, and for creating the kind of space where those conversations can happen properly.

If you’re a North East business looking to grow and want support with Google or LinkedIn ads, Zora Marketing works closely with brands at that stage, helping turn what’s already working into something that scales.

You can get in touch directly at: hannah.zoramarketing@gmail.com