APPLETON
When ambitious work outgrows the systems behind it.
Fractional Operations Leader for creative studios and scale-ups delivering complex, first-of-a-kind and high-stakes work.
As studios grow, delivery often becomes dependent on a handful
of over-stretched people. Systems stop keeping pace and yesterday’s ways of working
stop serving today’s business whilst complexity quietly builds beneath the surface.
I bring clarity, structure and senior operational leadership into complex delivery environments -
so founders and leadership teams see what's really happening, strengthen delivery
and create sustainable momentum.
Clarity changes everything.
There is no off-the-shelf operating model for ambitious creative work.
The right structure and systems emerge from the business itself: people, values, work and direction.
Over the past 18 years, I've deliberately built a broad experience across emerging tech (XR, AI, product, brand, mobile, web) in production leadership and creative operations whilst others specialised.
That breadth means I can connect the dots across a studio, spotting patterns, understanding what's needed without the extra layers and bringing in experienced leadership where it'll make the greatest difference.
Whether that's as a Fractional Head of Production, Delivery Lead, Operations Director or trusted partner to founders, I bring calm, structure and momentum to periods of growth, change and complexity.
Trusted partner:
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Stabilising delivery at an award-winning studio: reducing project overrun by 20%, increasing gross margin by 10% in 9 months, improving staff retention to 96%+ within 12 months, contributing to 30% YoY growth
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Delivering successive cross-functional board-level mandates: Wonderbly | FitXR | SOON_ | Analogfolk
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Leading delivery planning for rapid expansion through a funding round: Fit-XR
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Delivering first-of-a-kind work across emerging tech - XR, immersive, brand, product and AI: Wonderbly | Freeview | Meta | Bose x Mercedes | Science Museum
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Repeatedly invited back across XR, product, interactive, brand and experiential: Nexus Studios | UNIT9 | POKE | Imagination | Wonderbly | AKQA
When complexity needs experience:
Different moments call for different levels of involvement
from a focused diagnostic to fractional leadership or leading a specific high-stakes initiative.
1
See what's really happening
Delivery & Operations Diagnostics
Focused reviews to identify bottlenecks, operational friction, delivery risks and practical ops for improvement.
Report + Roadmap
2 - 3 weeks
2
Build
stronger delivery
Fractional Production & Operations Leadership
Experienced leadership during growth, stabilisation, or senior leadership without permanent headcount.
Fixed-term or ongoing retainer.
1-4 days a week
3
Navigate pivotal moments
Strategic Initiatives
Leadership for first-of-a-kind projects, organisational change, complex programmes and bespoke operational challenges.
Project-dependent
What it's like to work together
Calm, rigorous human leadership
Friendly and reassuring, with steel boots. High standards, clear discernment and certified coaching skills.
Cross-functional, complex and first-of-a-kinds
XR, immersive, experiential, product, platform, SaaS, brand and digital transformation.
Head of Production / Operations Director
Leading delivery, mapping and refining processes, improving production quality, strengthening governance and creating clearer ways of working.
COS-equivalent lead for founders and leadership teams
Turning vision, pressure and moving parts into priorities, decisions, structure and delivery momentum.
Stakeholders, risk and commercial management
Aligning stakeholders & team expectations, spotting things others miss and clear decision-making.
Protection of timelines and budgets. Business owner since 2010.
Producer mentoring and team development
Improving standards, strengthening retention and helping production teams lead with more confidence.
Alex - Founder _SOON
"Bringing in Carolyn was one of the best decisions we've ever made.
She's friendly and reassuring but wears steel boots."
"Her exacting standards and tenacity were just what we needed to kick production process and quality up to the next level...Carolyn instantly spotted problems and plugged the gaps while keeping one eye on the big picture."
Luke - Nexus Studios
"I have known and worked closely with Carolyn for many years, across all kinds of companies and projects, interactive, experiential, apps - all of it.
She remains one of the best and safest pair of hands. She knows when to let things run and when to take control; she's great to work with; probably the most reliable, diligent I can think of."
Nick - CPO Wonderbly
"...details-oriented, people-centred and always happy to be flexible to get the job done.
She’s done multiple complex digital migration and tech platform update projects for me at Wonderbly and they’ve all come in on time, in budget and with a happy team.
Would love to work with her again on more projects!"
For complex work that deserves a breadth of experience.
I'm Carolyn, I bring clarity, structure and experience to creative businesses when growth, ambition or complexity demands a clearer way forward. Let's talk.