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In this episode, we sit down with Richard Blank, founder and CEO of Costa Rica’s Call Center.

From Northeast Philly to San José, Richard shares his journey of betting on himself, moving abroad, and building a thriving nearshore BPO from a one-seat operation to a company that now powers:

Inbound customer support

Lead generation

Appointment setting

Sales training & coaching

He’s trained over 10,000 bilingual telemarketers, launched a telemarketing school, and even infused gamification into company culture with retro arcade pinball, jukeboxes, and air hockey. His story is one of grit, creativity, and a relentless belief in the art of communication.

If you’ve ever wondered what it takes to scale a business without outside investment, how to build culture in unexpected industries, or how traditional call centers adapt in the era of AI — this episode is for you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Why Richard left Philadelphia at age 27 to pursue a short-term gig that turned into a 19-year business journey.

How he grew Costa Rica’s Call Center without outside investors, staying lean and resourceful.

The unique coaching and training methods he’s developed after analyzing 10,000+ calls.

Why empathy, soft skills, and gamification are still critical in the call center industry.

How human connection outperforms AI when it comes to building trust and saving clients.

https://youtu.be/K76hk_ikwNA

https://youtu.be/8H_yWh1hHFg

https://youtu.be/A9pe8y4lEf8

https://marketsurge.transistor.fm/episodes/telemarketing-reinvented-richard-blank-s-journey-to-building-costa-rica-s-call-center

https://youtu.be/J7t9cZT4HSk

https://youtu.be/bJ8Rw9J-2xs

https://youtu.be/1HonTCNW41o

https://youtu.be/7cXkjRXISeE

https://youtu.be/p3lWdy-3jwU

https://youtu.be/GTjeL9y5lWI

https://youtu.be/0wBmSX8uIDI

Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ

Richard Blank produced a Rap Breakdancing video commercial

https://youtu.be/GQvGZYcX71s?si=3I6N3p-LVxwTvnh2

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