Knoxville’s own Preston Holmes, a former Webb School soccer star and Division I athlete at East Tennessee State University, is turning his faith‑driven work ethic into a thriving clean‑energy business. Holmes co‑founded Ascend, a company that connects households with community solar programs, and this year the firm has enrolled more than 3,000 homes, representing nearly 30 million kilowatt‑hours of estimated annual solar generation.
From the soccer field to solar farms
Holmes grew up learning the value of hard work from his father, Dr. Lewis Holmes, a former high‑school goalkeeper, and from his grandfather’s appraisal business. Early jobs – yard work, reselling items, and a position at Long’s Drug Store on Kingston Pike – taught him to earn every dollar. Those lessons carried over to the soccer pitch, where he helped Webb School achieve an undefeated 20‑0 season in 2021 and later honed discipline at East Tennessee State.
Building Ascend
After door‑to‑door sales in 2024 and leading a fiber‑internet team in 2025, Holmes and co‑founder Cam Kysela launched Ascend in January 2026. The startup initially sold fiber internet, traveling through several states before shifting to community solar in March 2026. Community solar lets households receive electricity credits from a shared solar farm without installing panels on their own roofs.
According to Holmes, income‑qualified households can see about a 30% discount on solar credits, while standard households receive roughly a 10% discount. Enrollment is free and carries no cancellation fees. Ascend works with developers SunShare and US Solar, earning commissions for verified customers.
Growth and future plans
Operating now in New Mexico and Colorado, Ascend recently recorded a week of enrollment that generated an estimated 2 million kilowatt‑hours, up from about 1.3 million the week before. The team’s next target is 3 million kilowatt‑hours per week. Holmes says the company is reinvesting earnings to expand into additional markets and hopes to bring the model to Tennessee once local community‑solar programs become available.
Leadership at Ascend has evolved from Holmes working side‑by‑side with sales reps to developing leaders, holding daily meetings, weekly leadership gatherings, and even a Wednesday Bible study on Zoom. “Culture matters more than talent,” he says, emphasizing coachability, work ethic, and character in hiring.
Faith, family, and perseverance
Holmes credits his father, former soccer coach Jared Ziegler, and co‑founder Kysela for shaping his mindset. He encourages other young Knoxville residents to start before they feel ready, surround themselves with challengers, and develop communication and service skills that will serve them anywhere.
“Seeing the whole journey come together is beautiful and exciting,” Holmes reflects, proud of a venture that began with yard work and a neighborhood drugstore job and now helps thousands save on electricity while supporting clean energy.
Original reporting: Knox TN Today — read the source article.
