The Jamilia Grier Show. 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.
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
