Team Protectors
Human trafficking isn’t just a grim headline in someone else’s neighborhood, it’s a seriouscrisis in our own communities. The Team Protectors podcast is the latest initiative from Safe House Project, spotlighting the leaders, survivors, faith communities, politicians, and everyday heroes determined to eradicate human trafficking by 2030.
In each episode, co-hosts Kristi Wells and Brittany Dunn share candid conversations about practical solutions that bring freedom within reach. From firsthand survivor stories to expert takes on justice, technology, and social impact, Team Protectors breaks down how we can collectively stand guard against this evil that hides in plain site all around us.. You’ll also discover Simply Report—a user-friendly app that empowers everyday citizens to safely and quickly report suspicious activity and connect victims to the support they deserve.
By uniting voices from all walks of life, Team Protectors amplifies the message that human trafficking can end when we all work together. If you believe freedom is an inalienable rite given to each of us by our Creator, then join us and find your place in this nationwide effort. Each listen brings us one step closer to making freedom a reality for all.
Team Protectors
From Homelessness to Purpose: Stephen Scoggins on Identity, Business, and Human Trafficking
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What happens when business success no longer fills the void?
In this powerful episode of the Team Protectors Podcast, Brittany Dunn and Kristi Wells sit down with entrepreneur and speaker Stephen Scoggins for a raw conversation about trauma, identity, leadership, faith, and purpose.
Stephen shares his journey from homelessness, childhood instability, and deep personal pain to building businesses that scaled beyond $100 million. But this conversation goes far beyond entrepreneurship.
Together, they unpack the hidden wounds that shape people, the identity crisis affecting society, why leaders struggle to engage with hard issues like human trafficking, and how healing begins with presence, trust, and purpose.
This episode is honest, deeply personal, and full of practical wisdom for leaders, parents, survivors, and anyone trying to build a life that truly matters.
What you’ll learn in this episode:
- How childhood trauma impacts leadership and identity
- Why so many leaders struggle with purpose despite success
- The connection between vulnerability and exploitation
- How faith and presence helped Stephen survive homelessness and despair
- Why “you cannot scale dysfunction”
- The role business leaders should play in solving major social issues
- How distraction and social media are fueling an identity crisis
- Why trust is the opposite of fear
- The importance of serving “the one” instead of chasing scale
Key moments:
00:00 Stephen Scoggins on business, purpose, and impact
01:48 Growing up in poverty and instability
04:00 Stephen shares a deeply personal experience publicly for the first time
07:00 The power of surrogate parents and “Mama Wama”
11:00 Why presence changes lives
15:00 Identity, self-worth, and social media
18:00 “Be still and know that I am God” as a state of being
21:00 Created worth and serving the person you used to be
24:00 Why leaders sabotage themselves
26:00 Why businesses must make the world better
27:00 The shocking gap between resources and impact
30:00 Why intimidation only exists in isolation
33:00 “Do not despise small beginnings”
38:00 Trust is the opposite of fear
40:00 “You cannot scale dysfunction”
About Stephen Scoggins:
Stephen Scoggins is an entrepreneur, speaker, and business strategist who built and scaled companies beyond $100 million after starting from homelessness and extreme adversity. Today, he mentors leaders on identity, stewardship, presence, and building businesses that create meaningful impact.
About Safe House Project:
Safe House Project exists to end child trafficking and restore hope for survivors through prevention, survivor care, and strategic partnerships.
Learn more:
https://safehouseproject.org
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