Today we’d like to introduce you to Rhona McBain.
Hi Rhona, 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?
I began my career as a university professor and administrator, building programs and mentoring students for more than two decades. Many of them went on to make their mark in places like NFL championship teams, blockbuster films, and award-winning restaurants—which affirmed what I’ve always believed: creativity is a superpower when it’s treated as infrastructure, not just inspiration.
My own path has included internationally exhibiting fine artist, tattoo studio owner, and multi-business entrepreneur, with more than a few wildcard moments along the way. I know what it’s like to build a life that looks steady from the outside while inside the ground is shifting. To hold a bigger vision but feel no clear bridge to get there. To be caught in rupture, burnout, or transition and wonder what comes next. Those lived moments are what shaped me into the speaker and coach I am today. I don’t just study life’s complexity—I’ve lived it. Now I help others tap into their natural creative ability, using neuroplasticity and neuroaesthetics to redefine how they live and author their own lives.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The road has not been smooth. From the outside it might look like a steady climb through academia, the arts, and entrepreneurship. The reality is far more complex. Challenges rarely arrive one by one. They stack and collide. Financial strain intersects with health. Personal loss bleeds into work. Burnout reshapes relationships. The true obstacle is not a single setback, it is learning how to move when life converges from every direction at once.
What I discovered is that creativity is not optional in those moments, it is essential. It is not a niche, a hobby, or a spark of inspiration. The creative process is the operating system we are already running on. Applied with intention, it becomes agency. It allows us to author our choices, emotions, and relationships instead of simply reacting to circumstances. It creates momentum even in the middle of life’s complexity.
We’ve been impressed with Rhona McBain | Spiral Living, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My work lives at the intersection of speaking, coaching, and immersive retreats. Each is a different doorway into the same purpose: helping high-capacity people use creativity as real infrastructure to navigate complexity and claim authorship over their lives.
For some, that starts with a Spark Session — a 90-minute catalyst designed to create immediate next step direction. Others step into Undeniably You, my group coaching that’s next cohort launches again in January, where we work together over weeks to build a creative action based operating system they can actually live inside. I also work one-on-one with a select number of clients who are ready for deeper partnership, and I bring these same principles to stages and retreats, creating spaces where leaders and organizations can reset, reimagine, and expand.
Across all of these formats, the through-line is the same. Creativity is not extra. It is the operating system we are already running on. Applied with intention, it becomes agency. It is what turns reaction into self agency and creates movement even in the middle of life’s complexity.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
Success is never solo. It is built in community and I am grateful for mine. My family, Janice, Jerry, and the Kenkel crew, gave me the template for what family should be. My friends in Kansas City have been anchors, and my wider circle of friends across the globe continue to energize me with their ideas and support.
I also credit the mentors, collaborators, and clients who have shaped my path. The women and fellow board members at LeadHERship Global, the participants in Sunday Shift, and mentors like Tricia Brouk continue to challenge me, expand me, and push my work forward.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.rhonamcbain.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rhonamcbain_
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rhona.mcbain
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rhona-shand-mcbain/
