The Bobby Bones Show — "TAKE THIS PERSONALLY: Empowering Human Trafficking Survivors One Bead at a Time"

Date: October 25, 2025
Host: Morgan (from "Take This Personally")
Guests: Shannon & Amanda, founders of Ring True
Theme: Purpose-driven entrepreneurship transforming the lives of human trafficking survivors through employment, empowerment, and community.

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the mission behind Ring True, a jewelry company founded by sisters Shannon and Amanda to empower human trafficking survivors by providing them with meaningful work, healing, and dignity. Morgan explores their business model, their personal motivations, and what it’s meant for the women they serve — as well as for themselves.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Origin and Mission of Ring True

• Launch During Lockdown: Amanda conceived the business in 2020 during the COVID lockdown as a response to uncertainty, isolation, and a desire to make meaningful impact.

  “The idea felt outside myself… I never want to give my time and my life to something that's not going to be meaningful or make an impact in some way for other people.” — Amanda (05:13)

• Sister Partnership: The business expanded as Amanda’s sister Shannon joined in, each bringing unique strengths: Amanda making the jewelry, Shannon handling logistics and business ops.

  “I have the hands of Shrek… I'll nerd out and do the spreadsheets and ship stuff to people. You go ahead and make that jewelry yourself, yeah, God bless her.” — Shannon (05:59)

• Human Trafficking Focus: Not just charity, but employment: survivors in safe housing can earn income making jewelry while continuing therapy in a safe, supportive environment.

  “To have an opportunity to earn for themselves is really empowering. That’s what we’re doing.” — Amanda (03:26)

2. Working with Survivors

• Safe House Operations: The sisters instruct survivors in jewelry making within safe homes, allowing them to work at their own pace, on their own terms, in the midst of trauma recovery programs.

  “They’re not in the mind frame to go work at McDonald's…So, this is so awesome. We get to go in where they live…show them how to do this...They can do it on their own time.” — Shannon (08:04)

• Beyond Therapy: The power of joy, laughter, and normalcy is just as powerful as therapy. Crafting together brings community, story sharing, and genuine connection.

  “We're not therapists, but the piece that we're able to bring is just joy and laughter.” — Amanda (10:03) “For them to have a break...our mission is that too. We just go about it in a different way.” — Amanda (11:25)

3. Impact, Empowerment, and Growth

• Survivor Support Club: Launched to give consistent work and support to survivors and to engage those wanting to help at $25/month, sending jewelry and highlighting the survivor who made it.

  “Instead of just giving to charity, what this does is it actually provides a job and helps survivors feel empowered.” — Amanda (22:15)

• Life and Job Skills: Survivors learn not only jewelry making, but also time management, filling out timesheets, banking, interning, and basic business skills — all vital for future independence.

  "It's not just making jewelry. They're learning responsibility, time management...all the things that we do for our business." — Shannon (28:14)

• Compassion and Patience: Through working with trauma survivors, Amanda and Shannon developed deeper patience and empathy, learning to accommodate trauma-impacted behavior and apply that understanding elsewhere in life.

  “People matter. I can take more time with them and give them more space to be who they need to be.” — Amanda (30:43)

4. Personal & Organizational Transformation

• Transformational Work: The project has healed not only survivors but the founders themselves, helping Shannon in her journey as a widow and giving her new purpose.

  “I didn't feel like I had a purpose…It completely changed my life. Now it's my full-time job, I'm passionate about it, it’s what gets me up every single day.” — Shannon (17:16)

• Action Over Intimidation: Facing the vastness of social problems, Amanda encourages others to start small — often you have more to offer than you think.

  “You can start small and take small steps towards making a difference…don’t be surprised when it changes your life.” — Amanda (41:33)

5. Advice and Encouragement

• On Burnout and Self-Care: Doing heavy, emotional work makes boundaries and therapy vital.

  “When you're doing heavy work like this, you really do have to try to protect your peace…Therapy can help a lot of people.” — Shannon (40:35)

• On Finding Your Cause: Focus on what you can do instead of being paralyzed by all you can't.

  “Trying to fix everything in the world is never going to work. So find something that you care about and focus on that.” — Morgan (35:48)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Amanda on the heart of their work:

  “It's more of a mindset of this is for them. Less about the profit, more about the person.” (29:50)

• On Compassion:

  “I've met other people in my life who…I will experience similar interactions with them and I'm like, you have trauma brain…Now I have so much more compassion.” — Amanda (30:44)

• Wit & Warmth:

  “We would throw this business in the trash. I don't even care about jewelry...It's a pure love for them that keeps us going.” — Amanda & Shannon (30:08)

• Legacy for Children:

  “My oldest is 13...I've explained to him what human trafficking is…We're gonna help change that.” — Amanda (37:00)

Highlighted Segments with Timestamps

• [02:55] — How Ring True started and the "why" behind the business
• [05:10] — Taking the leap in uncertain times; faith and motivation
• [08:04] — Implementing the work model in safe homes and respecting survivors' needs
• [10:01] — The healing power of laughter and non-traditional support
• [15:22] — Personal growth and insights from running Ring True
• [17:15] — Shannon’s journey from grief to new purpose
• [21:56] — "Start with one person" philosophy and the Survivor Support Club
• [28:11] — Transitioning survivors into job skills, business internships
• [29:46] — Compassion, patience, and learning from trauma-informed work
• [39:24] — Final words of advice: boundaries, therapy, and belief in making a difference

Conclusion

Shannon, Amanda, and their company Ring True are redefining what it means to “help” by prioritizing dignity, agency, and genuine connection over charity alone. The episode is a passionate, funny, and ultimately hopeful look at how ordinary people — armed with heart and persistence — can help restore futures, and themselves in the process.

Where to Find Ring True:

• ringtrueco.com
• Instagram/Facebook: @ringtrue_co

Endnotes

• Morgan’s summary: "Trying to fix everything in the world is never going to work. So find something that you care about and focus on that." (35:48)
• Final lessons: Protect your peace, don’t be afraid to start small, and remember that working for something bigger than yourself transforms everyone involved.