There's an old Remington Shaver commercial that starts out with the company’s president saying, regarding the electric razor in his hand, “I liked it so much I bought the company.”

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Not familiar with the spot? Here it is, from YouTube:

https://youtube.com/clip/UgkxmlN7eoDVr8I2XHfwCvVx1Z4p7AFZZmm5?si=4MYJLcbhgSoQiaVF

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You could say almost the same thing about Ascend CEO and co-founder Hampton Tanner. In his case, though, Hampton found meditation so helpful and integral to his daily life that he founded the company.

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At 6’3, 276 pounds, Hampton—who is a center on the Georgetown University football team—may not seem like the “typical” meditation aficionado. In fact, that’s actually part of the reason Hampton started Ascend: Not only did he want to share the power of meditation with the world, but he also wanted to help break down the stereotypes and misconceptions around meditation.

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“I think a lot of people are scared to jump into meditation because it’s hard and it’s foreign ground,” Hampton says. “Through Ascend, with AI and a very high level of personalization, we break down a lot of those barriers to meditation.”

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Ascend is a one-of-its-kind app that enables users to provide their own input, then uses that information combined with the power of artificial intelligence to develop a meditation that’s highly personalized. Hampton came up with the idea for the app when he ran into a bit of a difficult period after he transferred from Wake Forest University—where he met his close friend, fellow football player, and now Ascend co-founder and President Walker Ferguson—to Georgetown for his junior year. Dissatisfied with the life he was living and the choices he was making, Hampton turned to mediation for help.

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“With transferring and all the new places and new people, plus personal things going on with my family, I found myself really up in the air,” he says. “I realized I was getting in my own way with my thoughts and limiting beliefs. I wanted to be more present, build gratitude, and break unhelpful thought patterns. That’s when I picked up meditation.”

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Hampton decided to try meditation after seeing how it works for his mom. “She meditates, and she’s always present, calm, and seemingly at peace, which inspired me.

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“It has really improved my quality of life and become a tool that I use throughout the day to gain spiritual clarity and profound insights. I go back to the practices that I taught myself to ground myself in the moment,” he says. “Now, I have greater conscious awareness and understanding of myself. I’m able to be present and enjoy more things, and it has improved my relationships and made me a better listener. I feel like this is truly one tool that improves and enhances everything.”

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Hampton, who just wrapped up his football career with the Hoyas, says that the cornerstone of his meditation practice is a daily session in the mornings. He then returns to it throughout the day as needed. ”It sets me up for the rest of my day in a lot of ways, and puts me in a state of mind where I'm able to truly reflect, recognize, and be aware of the things I have to be grateful for, which I think is the best way to live life.”

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Hampton is also a big believer in visualization meditation, the focus of the Ascend app, as a tool for success. “I visualize myself succeeding in all areas of my life, and that's built up my confidence and helped me realize my goals,” Hampton says. “Mental rehearsal is a truly powerful tool: It’s made me more of a self-aware person, and improved my quality of life in every aspect.” So powerful, in fact, that it has improved his performance in the gym, too. “I have better workouts because I’m more in tune with my body when I’m in the gym. By controlling the breath, I’m better able to feel sensations in my body, which contributes to getting the most out of each individual exercise.”

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Once Hampton realized how life-changing meditation could be, he was intent on finding a way for more people to be able to share in its benefits. He reached out to Walker, and the pair embarked on building an app that would make it more approachable and encourage people to give it a try.  

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“Meditation offers so many great benefits, and I just want to share that with the world. I want people to live happier lives, be more present and enjoy things, and cultivate more of a sense of gratitude,” he says in conclusion.

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“That’s our goal with Ascend: Help as many people as possible get in touch with the power of meditation, quickly and easily.”