Richard Blank: Building a Business Abroad & Leading with Empathy 

In this powerful episode of The Jamilia Grier Show, I sit down with Richard Blank, CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center, to explore how he turned leading with empathy into building a business abroad. We unpack the real journey behind building a business overseas, overcoming self-doubt, leading with empathy, and mastering human connection in an AI-driven world.

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00:00 – Intro: Meet Richard Blank, CEO of Costa Rica’s Call Center  

01:30 – Why he left the U.S. to start over at 27  

03:00 – Teaching English abroad: the unexpected door to entrepreneurship  

05:10 – Overcoming pushback: Why the boldest choices are often misunderstood  

07:00 – Breaking language barriers: From Philly to fluent Spanish  

09:30 – Learning by immersion: How Richard mastered the call center world  

11:45 – Building with empathy: Why dignity is your best employee retention strategy  

13:10 – What we’ve lost in a post-COVID, remote-first world  

15:00 – The power of vulnerability and showing up with heart  

16:30 – How to lead 10,000+ people without losing the personal touch  

19:15 – Sales redefined: Why it's really about relationship building  

21:45 – Human connection vs automation: Will AI replace real empathy?  

23:15 – Communicating with intention, even over text  

25:10 – Entrepreneurs + sales = the mindset shift you need  

28:10 – Building communication confidence (even if you're shy)  

30:00 – Real leadership is hands-on (and sometimes includes pinball)  

32:45 – The hiring secret: Why your coming-of-age story matters more than your résumé  

34:10 – Culture building through authenticity and connection  

36:00 – Why teens can be your best team members  

37:45 – Surviving the hard days: Entrepreneurship isn’t glamorous, it’s earned  

40:00 – The mindset to keep going when you want to quit  

42:50 – Social media vs real life: Stop comparing, start building  

44:50 – What real success looks like (hint: it’s not just Lamborghinis)  

47:30 – A message to those stuck in unfulfilling jobs  

49:12 – Final thoughts + Connect with Richard

At 27 years old, Richard Blank left behind the familiar streets of Philadelphia to follow an unlikely calling — training call center workers in Costa Rica. What started as a teaching job turned into a lifelong entrepreneurial journey, building Costa Rica’s Call Center into a thriving business tht trained over 10,000 employees.

In this episode, Richard shares the heartfelt risk that changed his life, why empathy is a superpower in leadership, and how learning a second language opened doors to global success. We talk about the real challenges of building a business abroad, lessons from leading with humanity, and how staying true to your values can spark an empire.

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