About Hazel’s company
Our Story
You might know Hazel as one of the founders of Carter Corson Business Psychologists, which is the business she has led since 1999 – but in 2023, with a new office and a different way of doing business after Covid-19, it was time for a change.
We took a long look at what brought us joy, and what didn’t. As a team, we thought about the issues we are inspired to tackle for the next decade and what needed to change. Just Hazel is the result of making life simpler, creating breathing space for new beginnings. We are excited to see what you think.
What will not change is our passion for adopting the best research from neuroscience, social and clinical psychology, and leadership research. We are experts in the emotionally messy parts of business and life, which tend to involve something ending or starting, and complex change. We will honour Carter Corson’s legacy to do beautiful work that matters. Our role has always been to walk along side you until you no longer need us. That doesn’t change either.
We use technology to be efficient, and human beings to be effective, to thrive in a changing world. Hazel’s commitment is to be useful and human – being creative about how coaching, can be delivered; and continuing to be people-centred, professional, real, and relevant will definitely never change,
Our History
Carter Corson Business Psychologists was founded in 1999 by Hazel Carter and John Corson to blend psychology and management consultancy – unusual at the time. They met as head-hunters for an international recruitment firm, and discovered they had a shared interest in human behaviour and business. The business almost never started for two reasons. They almost never worked together, as on introduction John thought Hazel was a bit posh (very funny to anyone who knows Hazel).
Then one day he saw her at a service station buying a sausage sandwich and a can of irn bru – and realised they were a perfect partnership! Tragically, only months after incorporating the company, Hazel was diagnosed with a brain tumour and needed urgent surgery. Her sister Jen Hughes, an occupational psychologist, dropped everything and joined the company to help. Hazel ran the company from her hospital bed with Jen and John doing an extraordinary job of keeping things going.
Three months later, the team was back on track, although Hazel was permanently disabled by the surgery – a fact that strangely few clients noticed that first year even though she only had one working arm and often couldn’t stand!
Starting in a tiny office in Manchester with one client, John and Hazel developed a phenomenal client list, many of whom are still with us. Hazel’s sister, continued as a Director for eight years before joining the NHS to effect change from the inside, after John left to focus on coaching. Along the way, there were offices in Altrincham then Wilmslow and today – almost 25 years later, we have settled in our beautiful office in Knutsford.
Whilst a lot has changed, an underlying curiosity about people and a passion for making a difference remain visible in the mission and values that guide Hazel and anyone who works with her. And for those who knew us as Team Purple, we might be ‘forever purple’ at heart, but it is a background colour now.
