Leading with Empathy
Where people strategy meets creative reality; Creative teams and environments need people & culture approaches that support the way work really happens
Where People
Always Come First
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The A to Z’s of HR Management for small to mid-size companies.
Employee relations support, investigations, and conflict resolution
Policy development, handbooks, and HR documentation
Leave management, accommodations, and multi-state compliance guidance
Onboarding, offboarding, and employee lifecycle processes
Manager coaching and performance support
Benefits administration support and vendor coordination
Fractional HR Generalist support for growing teams
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Future-proofing with people first leadership philosophy.
Fractional Head of People / People leadership advisory
Organizational design, role clarity, and team structures
Culture audits, engagement strategy, and values activation
Change management and internal communications
Executive and leadership coaching
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Modern, inclusive systems that support growth without sacrificing creativity.
Custom performance management and feedback systems
Career pathing and leveling frameworks for creative and non-linear roles
Manager enablement and leadership development programs
Learning & development strategy and training facilitation
DEI programming design and execution, including:
Inclusive leadership and manager training
Anti-harassment and respectful workplace education
Equitable performance, promotion, and development practices
ERG strategy, launch, and leadership support
DEI integration into talent development and internal culture initiatives
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Hiring the best and the brightest that are long-term fits for your organization.
Strategic hiring plans aligned to business and creative goals
Recruiting process design and ATS implementation
Compensation philosophy, bands, and pay equity reviews
Internship and early-career talent pipeline programs
Workforce planning for project-based or fluctuating teams
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Scalable infrastructure that supports both creativity and growth.
HR infrastructure buildouts (policies, SOPs, workflows)
HRIS and people tech selection, implementation, and optimization
Process automation and AI-enabled HR workflows
People analytics and reporting for leadership decision-making
Compliance audits, risk mitigation, and ER guidance
Technology training and adoption support for leaders and teams
Who We Are
Fiddlesticks is a boutique Talent and People Operations consulting firm supporting creative organizations with thoughtful, scalable, and human-centered people solutions.
Founded by Kath Fidler, SHRM-CP, a People & Culture leader with 12+ years of experience across agencies, studios, and high-growth creative teams, Fiddlesticks partners with companies that need both day-to-day HR support and strategic people leadership — without defaulting to rigid, corporate-first models.
We help creative companies build people systems that protect the business, support leaders, and empower talent — while preserving the culture and flexibility that fuel great creative work.
Kona - Chief Vibe Curator
Kona has 12 years of “white collar” agency work under his collar and knows exactly how to make everyone feel special. He will learn your name and knows exactly when to ask you for a snack.
Saxecutive Assistant(s)
The Saxecutive Assistants do the real work of keeping the joy and vibe of Fiddlesticks going. They mostly work nights and weekends, and can be seen all around town (and the US!) in the following groups:
Black Sheep Ensemble
The Band Who Fell to Earth
Absynthe Makes the Art Garfunkel
3rd Stream Big Band
Sax Sabbath
Hungry Reggae
And more!
What People Are Saying
“I ask myself, who do I want in my professional lifeboat? I can without a doubt say Kath would be the first aboard. She's resourceful and imaginative in ways a typical "HR professional" can't even compare. A creative thinker who will always be finding new ways to navigate a changing world and move everyone forward.”
R. Fitzgerald, COO
BBDO Atlanta“[She] create[d] and implement[ed] an annual review process for artists and staff, as well as evaluat[ed] and refin[ed] the recruiting workflows, resulting in a more streamlined, effective, and easily understood process for leadership and management.”
Jamie Moss, COO
Floyd County Productions“Her financial and business acumen consistently elevated our decision-making. I trusted her completely to evaluate people decisions, operational changes, and strategic initiatives through both the human and business lenses.”
Lisa Arsenalt, CEO
Look Listen“Kath is a Swiss army knife, an adaptable shape shifting leader that streamlines operations by applying creativity, talent, process and technology to help us move faster than the speed of business.”
Peter Bunarek, CEO
BBDO AtlantaSchedule time
with us
Ready to take the next step in achieving your people & business goals? Scheduling a consulting session with Kath.
What are “Fiddlesticks”?
Fiddlesticks are instruments with Cajun origin used to add percussion to traditional fiddle music. While the fiddler plays in normal fashion, a second person uses a pair of straws, sticks, or knitting needles to tap out a rhythm on the strings over the upper fingerboard. This builds complexity with the music and contributes to a unique folkloric sound. Good collaboration means good results!