Davina Schonle Official

10/11/2025

Birmingham Tech Week a few weeks ago brought together more than 8,000 leaders, founders, academics, and industry experts, a scale that reflects just how quickly the region is accelerating.

With 6,000+ tech businesses and more than 2,000 startups, Birmingham is becoming one of the UK’s most important tech hubs.

It was great to be one of the speakers.

A few things stood out for me:
- The pace of regional growth is real. The West Midlands has been the fastest-growing tech sector in the UK for two years running and you can feel that momentum.
- AI and digital transformation are outpacing organisational readiness. The appetite is huge, but many companies still lack clear strategies, pilot pathways, and governance.
- Talent remains the biggest strategic issue. Birmingham has 56,000 tech employees,nearly 40% of the region’s tech workforce but we’re still not unlocking the full potential of the talent pipeline.
- Representation is still far behind where it needs to be. Women make up 26% of the tech sector, but only 5% hold leadership roles. Only 3% of girls see tech as their first-choice career, and 78% of students can’t name a single woman in the industry. These aren’t small gaps, they’re structural issues that will impact regional competitiveness if left unaddressed.

My overarching takeaway: Birmingham has scale, ambition, and momentum. Closing the ex*****on and talent gaps is now the strategic priority that will determine how far the region can go. Events like this help move the conversation forward.

07/09/2025

"The best AI is the one your team actually uses"

I read this today from a CFO newsletter, yes I read CFO news because:

a) it's important - these are a key corporate stakeholder that says yes or no to your proposal

b) i've built my own financial models for my tech business

But the purpose of this is to serve as a reminder... how many AI tools are you subscribed to? How many AI tools have you purchased? And aren't even using? Or to their potential?

There are so many to choose from but more doesn't mean better... optimise what you have before overloading with more.

07/02/2025

I think it’s time I officially introduce you to...my baby girl!

She almost 5 months old now and she’s amazing! The last few months have been spent navigating the joys of motherhood and maintaining partly a professional life.

There’s many reasons why I kept it quiet. But I think it’s time I’m a little more open about it.

Her name is Isadella Amelia-Rose.

💪 Isadella for her power
🩷 Amelia-Rose for her kindness

She’s my little miracle baby. One I thought I would lose. And I’m forever grateful I didn’t.

Things are different, I can’t always work whenever and wherever I choose, I can’t be as selfish as I have been in my life because I’m now a source of food, comfort and entertainment BUT i wouldn’t have it any other way. It’s such a privilege to be her mummy to help her grow and develop. For now she sleeps but when she is older she will move mountains ❤️

It’s a new era for me. One where sometimes something comes before work. But that doesn’t mean I stop. It just means I do things differently.

It’s changed nothing...and it’s changed everything.
To be honest the random sleep patterns and cold food habits prepared me well 😂

So there you have it... I am now a business woman and a mummy!

02/09/2024

Excited to finally share I’ve been accepted into a Deep Tech Incubator! Not bad for a non-technical founder! 😉

29/04/2024

Afternoon meeting in London done…now onto a Founders Dinner

23/04/2024

Is this an acceptable way to take a break? Asking for a friend? 😂

19/04/2024

Morning Coffee with a view 😍

15/04/2024

We had a private tour of the Romanian President’s Palace in Bucharest. I absolutely love learning the history of different places I visit.

That’s what makes the world so beautiful. Learning different cultures, history and traditions.

26/02/2024

Today I spoke to a group of university students who will be graduating from business management studies.

19/02/2024

Well it's here!! I'm BACK! I can't wait to share with you what I have planned!

You see... if you've been around for a while you know I haven't been able to be involved in any live programmes for about a year or so because I was focusing on a new venture (a tech based business aimed at the corporate market).

I have spent the last 4/5 years working directly with clients so it's been a bit of an adjustment to not be directly involved with guiding small business owners selling into corporates (except a couple of key clients I decided to continue working with) and working as an advisor to larger businesses.

And if i'm honest I've really missed it!

At the start of this year I started focusing on prospecting for the new business... engaging with corporates lining up for the future.
Bearing in mind, this used to be my job (I was in corporate sales)... and even I found it difficult to get back into.

Trust me, lots of things were going through my head... AND I know how to do this!... I've done it countless times in the past, even as an entrepreneur. Remember I used to be a corporate trainer before moving into a strategic advisor positions.

So if I am having trouble getting back into cold prospecting... gosh help those that don't know how!

So there I was starting to implement regular activities into my work week and I realised accountability helps. If I say I am going to do something... well then I like to do it. If no one is watching then you can sometimes make excuses... oh this came up or that came up.

The reality is that don't cut it. You want it to happen... you find a way.

That what's being a leader is. And a high performer.

And to get me back in the game and build those habits again (and to get out of my own way with mind gremlins) I got myself an accountability coach.

So that's what I want to do for you... I want to be that person that holds you account... but not just hold you account, but actually teach you how to cold prospect.

For 8 weeks I will be by your side. You will get everything you need. The trainings, the swipe files, the tips, the tricks... BUT the main thing is weekly we plan your cold outreach activity.... and we do it!

I hope you join me because this will be a ride worth going on!

We start in a few weeks (doors are only open a short while) but you get access to the trainings and templates in advance.

S2C Accountability Programme

04/12/2023

Yesterday was my step dads birthday, we went on a road trip above the clouds! Today we went whale watching! I’ll share videos/pics soon. I have not worked as much as I needed to on this trip but hoping to catch up for an hour before dinner. The struggle is real and hard to focus on the priorities when you have multitude of priorities and you also want to make time for those that mean the most to you. But we can only try! And one thing done/made progress is better than nothing.

09/10/2023

In today's tech-driven world, AI is transforming workplaces, but let's not forget the power of human skills. My recent LinkedIn article explores why qualities like empathy, communication, and creativity are indispensable in the era of automation.

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/navigating-digital-age-irreplaceable-role-human-skills-davina-schonle