SHAWN RYAN
We all know Shawn Ryan as the powerhouse podcast host he is, but rarely get the opportunity to see the heart that led him to his true life’s mission: helping others, serving businesses, and uncovering the truth. Rooted in his faith, the Missouri native approaches both his work and mission with purpose. Before starting his hit podcast, The Shawn Ryan Show, in 2019, which has since surpassed over two billion streams on YouTube and received a nomination for 2025 Podcast of the YearShawn built a career defined by both his discipline and unfiltered commitment to sharing stories that matter.
Growing up in the Midwest, Shawn was always in the woods, building forts, carving spears, and pretending he was G.I. Joe. As he prepared for high school, he was introduced to the world of the military, an introduction that would truly shape his path. Before graduating, a seventeen year old Shawn Ryan met with a recruiter of the Navy SEALS. Fascinated and motivated, he went straight to the library, checked out informative books, and began his research. By that July, he was officially off to boot camp.
“Being a SEAL" showed me how lucky we are to be born in America and all the good things that we have and get to experience here in this country that a lot of places don't. It definitely opened my mind up to [the fact that] war is not a glorious thing to partake in,” Shawn explains.
When his time in the Navy came to an end, Shawn’s PTSD was at an all-time high, yet he found himself missing camaraderie and the brotherhood it held. After a brief stint in real estate, he joined a fire academy, where he worked until his friend recommended him for a Contractor role, one that required at least six years of special operations experience to even be considered. Shawn sent in his resume and was chosen for a month-long trial program for what turned out to be for the CIA. He was one of three chosen to move forward, and spent much of his nine-year career overseas before moving to Columbia, South America and then Boca Raton, Florida. In 2019, Shawn had the idea to build a YouTube channel where he could teach survival skills to others, quickly garnering 250,000 subscribers, he realized he had curated a special community. Frustrated by hearing major moments in history recounted by people who hadn’t lived them, Shawn set out to change the narrative. Through The Shawn Ryan Show, he gave veterans a platform to share their firsthand experiences, open up about their struggles, and offer honest insight into how they’ve navigated life after service.
“Everybody knows about the veteran suicide epidemic that's going on, so I thought if I bring guys on that have maybe been through situations like me and have bound some redemption and turned their life around, I [could] do that,” Shawn shares. Shawn has been vulnerable and candid when it comes to speaking on his past issues with addiction. The ‘work hard, play hard’ mentality was one that defined the culture around him when he was serving in the Navy. In the evenings, the boys would often turn to alcohol to unwind. From that point on, his grip began to loosen and things slowly started to spiral out of control.
After an attempt to end his life, Shawn spent two days a week in therapy for three-and-a-half years, making a commitment to his therapist that he would quit hard alcohol altogether. While he kept his promise, he turned to sleeping pills, and, eventually, cocaine. He traveled to Mexico for an ibogaine treatment and later describes it as a pivotal moment that led to his sobriety. Between these two life-changing events, he found his unwavering faith in God.
“It has transformed my life in every way,” Shawn says, speaking on his faith. “I have a lot more grace for people, my family life is the best it's ever been… It has turned into everything I do. Just about every interview, the people I engage with, it's all to pump good into the world now.”
Speaking his truth and dealing with the backlash of public opinion hasn’t always been easy; When it comes to handling outside opinions, Shawn lets them roll off his back, grounded in the belief that the only one he ultimately answers to is Jesus Christ. While his journey to faith wasn’t without challenges, his testimony has grown into something deeply transformative.
For anyone who’s found themselves in a similar place, questioning where faith fits in, Shawn encourages finding people you trust to have heavy, yet enlightening conversations with, people who are open to your interpretations of scripture and how you’re discerning things, since it differs for everybody. That same mindset of reflection and intention carries into the way he approaches his life today.
Living in Tennessee with his wife and young children, Shawn finds purpose in fighting to create a better world for them.
“I’m always thinking about, ‘what are my kids going to think about this when they’re old enough to understand what’s going on,’” Shawn explains. “I just want my kids to have a better place to live than I did, and I don't want them to fight another forever war… Everything I do right now is to build a better world for them when I'm not here anymore.”
Part of this mission has taken shape through his involvement with the Glacier app, an all-American VPN, secure DNS, and consumer-friendly platform designed to offer a high level of privacy with everyday communication. Paranoid of what’s happening inside our phones, Shawn collaborated with former colleagues from the National Security Agency to explore a more secure alternative that would help ensure our devices haven’t been tampered with or exposed to hidden threats. The Glacier app, which is available now, essentially gives the effects of an untraceable black phone, but saves the hassle and high expense of having to retrieve one.
Unfiltered and determined to make our country a better place, Shawn Ryan is more than just an opinion and headline, he is a powerhouse fighting to amplify the voices of American people.
written by : Morgan Raum
Photo Credit: @iris_leonardo
