A Space for Mindfulness in the Modern World

Carter McDaniels is a senior studying Business Administration and Entrepreneurship. Playing on the lacrosse team his first four years at the University of Utah, Carter had to balance athletics and school. Now, in his fifth year, he finds time to work at a clinical trials company, serve as a representative on the Business Student Council, and pursue his first entrepreneurial project — a platform and space for mindfulness.

His journey into the mindfulness space began with his own practice as a high school student. Using mindfulness practices as a way to improve his own mental health, he saw how effective it could be in dealing with challenges like anxiety. Continuing his practice, though, he learned how mindfulness is not just a way for people experiencing mental health challenges to “get back to normal”, but a tool that can help everyone build mental strength and awareness. Talking about the brain’s neuroplasticity, Carter says “there’s a lot of time in the day where you can be improving your brain, but most of us are feeding it the wrong things.”

Carter is excited to be the leader of his own entrepreneurial venture on a subject he feels is deeply important: spreading mindfulness on campus. Joining Doman Innovation Studio has given him a chance to get honest feedback, not just what he wants to hear about his project. Carter feels that Doman has given him  a space to reflect on the fundamentals of his project and what he wants to achieve. He encourages others to know their market and themselves well enough to not be swayed away from their core goals, but to be flexible in the execution of those goals . Outside of school, Carter enjoys Crossfit, hiking, and freestyle rapping with his friends.

Be water my friend // 4.2.23

Carter is an individual who firmly believes that challenges are meant to be faced, not avoided. Through coaching at Doman he’s learned what it means to “do what’s easy/things that don’t scale” and by focusing on what currently offers the path of least resistance, is cultivating a foundation of trust and loyalty that will enable sustainable growth in the long run. With a coachable mindset, Carter is actively working towards being the change he wants to see in the world in the most efficient way possible, while still remaining open to learning new skills and pursuing his initial vision.

To be beautiful means to be yourself // 3.10.23

Since his first meeting with Doman, Carter has founded mindfulness club at the University of Utah where he teaches a wide array of mindfulness techniques and provides scientific explanation behind the ancient practices. He also assigns weekly “homework” to encourage his members to further develop their own practice so they can be self reliant and not always need the club to be mindful. Carter is also remaining true to his end goal by exploring different ways to create spaces for individuals to reflect and get to know themselves better, including a digital journaling experience that promotes introspection and a minimalist approach to life. He remains curious about the design and entrepreneurial process and is excited to see where this project continues to take him.

Take a deep breath, look around and you’ll find good things // 2.1.23

Driven by a passion for mindfulness and helping those in need, Carter’s personal journey led him to start his own project. Being a simple person by nature and having personally experienced the benefits of meditation during difficult times, he approaches the practice with empathy, patience and humility. His dedication to sharing the practice with others is rooted in his belief that mindfulness isn’t just about improving well being, but also understanding oneself on a deeper level – two things he’s noticed to be difficult for young people in today’s day and age.