Today we’d like to introduce you to Chanel Hudson-Marks.
Hi Chanel, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Growing up, athleticism was just in my DNA. Being surrounded by my brothers and boy cousins, we were constantly outside making up games and competing. I played all kinds of sports: soccer, track and field, basketball, I even tried lacrosse and ultimate frisbee. That drive was always there, but the real discipline and work ethic didn’t fully click until I got to the University of Memphis. Just a couple of months after joining the team, I was called up to my first CONCACAF tournament with the Jamaica National Team. Balancing Division 1 college soccer with international duty forced me to mature fast, how to carry myself as an athlete because there are a lot of responsibilities that come with it. But more than anything, it gave me a community. The bond with those girls, our culture, and playing for our country created a foundation that still grounds me today.
After hanging up my cleats, I launched Visual Aura in 2020 while navigating life after sport, a major transition that many women athletes aren’t given real guidance on. At first, it started as a brand centered on self-discovery, and I used clothing as my entry point. My very first creation was an oversized tee centered around our slogan, “Between the Threads.” Similar to reading between the lines, it was about expressing who we are through different fabrics instead of having to explicitly spell it out. Words can fall short sometimes, so I wanted Visual Aura to show that clothing is another form of art and self-expression. Building that brand solo came with a ton of trial and error, but it taught me the ins and outs of running a business from the ground up.
Eventually, I took a role with a small real estate marketing firm, helping realtors build their digital presence and get found online. At the same time, I was in constant touch with a group of my closest friends from the national team, women who are still my sisters and daily contacts today. As they navigated their professional athletic careers, they’d share their everyday realities. That’s when the lightbulb went off: realtors and athletes face the exact same challenge. They’re independent business owners trying to build an authentic brand, stay connected to their community, and open up real financial doors, all while running on tight schedules.
My pivot point came when I was laid off at 10 months pregnant. Right around then, one of my best friends was coming off ACL surgery, signing with a new club, and needed help building her brand. We teamed up, and Visual Aura Creative naturally transitioned with me into this space. It was a seamless transition, giving me the freedom to step fully into my purpose while staying flexible as a new mom. Today, my core philosophy is life integration, not disruption. I meet my clients human-to-human, drawing on my time in their shoes to guide them through. People often tell me I bring a very calm, grounded aura into the room, and that’s intentional. This is their life and their legacy. My job is to bring transparency, keep the stress off their shoulders, and handle the creative engine so they can protect their peace and focus on what matters.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Definitely not a smooth road, it’s been a full journey of adapting, pivoting, and figuring things out on the fly.
Coming off the field, the hardest shift was losing that rigid, built-in structure. In sports, your day is laid out for you: you know where to be, when to train, and you’re surrounded by a team locked into the exact same goal. Suddenly transitioning into the post-sport world, all that time is on you. I had a degree in Marketing Management, but I didn’t have a clear direction or a roadmap for how to actually activate my network or translate my skills.
When I first launched Visual Aura in 2020 as a clothing brand, the struggle was purely operational and financial. I was learning business expenses, estimates, and logistics from scratch. But more than that, I didn’t have a defined niche yet, I was just creating based on what felt good to me. My early community showed up and supported me through every bit of that trial and error, which I’ll always be grateful for, but it took time to figure out my actual lane.
Getting laid off at 10 months pregnant could have easily felt like a breaking point, but my athletic background gave me a level of quiet confidence and resilience. I had just spent time working at a small real estate marketing agency, wearing multiple hats and managing digital strategies for over 20 realtors. That hands-on experience forced me to refine my skill set and see the bigger picture. When life shifted, I leaned into my foundation, trusted my skills, and relied on the incredible support system around me. My husband, my mom, and my mother-in-law stepped up to help with the transition, giving me the space to bet on myself and turn Visual Aura into what it is today.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Visual Aura Creative is a brand strategy and creative direction studio built for athletes, businesses, and sports-driven brands. I help my clients build authentic platforms that open real doors and prepare them for their next phase—whether that’s an athlete positioning themselves for college or professional partnerships, or a business elevating its visual presence and community reach.
My core services center around:
Brand Strategy & Management: Building an intentional platform around life integration, not disruption, so my clients can grow their brand without feeling overwhelmed.
Photography & Visual Ecosystems: Capturing real moments for athletes, brands, and events, and showing them how to actually put those photos to work across their entire ecosystem beyond just a single Instagram post.
Sponsorship & Campaign Execution: Helping athletes and brands fulfill partnership obligations by storyboarding concepts, running campaign shoots, and bringing the idea to life on the ground.
Event Marketing: Creating custom marketing materials and visual direction for sports and community-adjacent events.
Having played soccer at the World Cup level and managed digital marketing in the business world, I know how fast things move. I bring structure, calm, and intentional direction to every project so my partners can protect their peace, get real results, and build something that lasts.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
My biggest piece of advice is to intentionally build your network, and actually utilize it. Don’t just collect contacts; take action.
For a long time, one of my main goals was simply “to network.” But the real shift happened when I stopped overthinking, got out of my own head, and just started putting myself out there. The moment I made that mindset shift, the opportunities increased exponentially. I began meeting incredible people, learning about deeply impactful projects, and getting a clear line of sight into the exact type of high-level work I want to be a part of.
A few things I wish I knew when I was first starting out:
Inaction is the biggest bottleneck. You can have the best ideas and skill set in the world, but if you don’t initiate conversations or put your work in front of people, nothing moves.
Stop waiting for the “perfect” moment. Action creates momentum. Showing up authentically and making the ask will take you much further than endlessly tweaking a plan behind closed doors.
Network with intention, not transaction. Relationships take time to nurture. Focus on genuine human connection and adding value first, the business opportunities follow naturally.
When you step into rooms with confidence and bring real value to the table, people remember you. Put yourself out there, stay consistent, and trust the process.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://chanelmarks.myportfolio.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/visualaura.creative/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chanel-hudson-marks/
