My Journey: Connecting, Creating, and Empowering

A few weeks ago, I had the incredible opportunity to speak at an engagement. While I felt a bit nervous, I was also thrilled to share my journey with a group of inspiring women who are creating meaningful change through cultural experiences.

When I reflect on my journey, I'm struck by how passion, creativity, and community have been the driving forces in my life. With over 19 years of experience in sales, recruitment, and marketing, I've always been driven by a fundamental desire to connect people and help them thrive.

My professional path has been anything but predictable. What started as a career in sales, medical recruitment, and marketing evolved into something much more meaningful—a mission to support and uplift my community in ways I never imagined. One of my proudest achievements has been organizing a car show fundraiser that has raised over $40,000 for local nonprofits over the past five years. (Except COVID year.) Each dollar raised represents hope, support, and tangible change for organizations making a real difference.

The pandemic was a turning point for me. Seeing small businesses struggling with visibility and connection, I launched the Hitting the Streets Podcast in 2019. What began as a local spotlight quickly transformed into a platform for sharing inspiring entrepreneurial stories. By interviewing business owners, entrepreneurs, and nonprofit leaders, I provided a lifeline of visibility during challenging times. Today, the podcast has over 11,000 plays, more than 200 episodes, and a five-star rating on Spotify—a testament to the power of storytelling and community support.

But I didn't stop there. I recognized a critical need for a creative sanctuary where artists could truly express themselves. This vision became the ARTrageous Art Hub—a space that started in a tiny 400-square-foot room and has now expanded to a vibrant 1,200-square-foot creative community. Here, artists, poets, creatives and musicians find not just a physical space, but a supportive environment to explore, create, and connect.

My own artistic journey has been equally transformative. As a photographer since the '90s, I never imagined I'd be entering judged art shows. In 2022, I took a leap of faith and submitted my first cell phone photography piece to the Visual Art Guild of Frisco call for art. The acceptance was exhilarating, and it sparked a new chapter. By 2023, I was honored to win second place and be named Emerging Artist of the Year—achievements that still feel surreal.

Recently, being nominated for a GLOWI award by the Denison Chamber was a humbling moment. Standing alongside incredible individuals who are also dedicated to supporting art and culture made me realize the collective impact we can have when we believe in our community.

Today, I continue to push boundaries—experimenting with acrylic pouring, painting, and digital photography. My art, like my journey, is bold, colorful, and always evolving. Whether through my podcast, the art hub, or my creative work, my mission remains the same: to connect, inspire, and create opportunities for others to shine.

This is more than a personal story—it's a celebration of community, creativity, and the extraordinary potential we all hold when we support one another.

Nichele Wells

Owner & Operator

Hitting the Streets Podcast

ARTrageous Art Hub