About Podcast
While his friends pursued careers in fields like law, medicine, and technology, Richard Blank went in a completely different direction – language. In fact, his love of language and communications led him to study abroad for one semester in Spain.
That experience changed the trajectory of his life. A few years after graduating from university, he accepted an offer to conduct training at a call center in Costa Rica. At 27 years old he decided to call Costa Rica home.
That was over 20 years ago. And he never looked back. In this first episode of Scale Tales, Richard takes us on his journey when he leveraged his advanced Spanish-speaking skills, business prowess, and emotional intelligence to build and scale Costa Rica’s Call Center from a one-seat to a 300-seat operation!
Discover how he used a cash-only approach to invest in the business infrastructure required to lay a foundation for sustainable growth, his tips for reducing attrition, and why he urges entrepreneurs to “act their wage.”
- Language & Communication – Strong linguistic and interpersonal skills developed through education and experience.
- Entrepreneurial Growth – Built and scaled a business without external funding.
- Employee Well-Being – Prioritizes sustainable growth, dignity, and career development.
- Strategic Discipline – Expands methodically through self-funding and smart investments.
- Ethical Partnerships – Selects opportunities that align with core values and regulations.
Special Guest: Richard Blank, CEO & Founder – Costa Rica’s Call Center
Location: San Jose, COSTA RICA
Air Date: September 01, 2024
Websites:
- Costa Rica’s Call Center: official website home of Richard’s company.
- Emotional Intelligence: Master Your Emotions: an online course by Latarsha Horne. “Discover the secrets that successful people use to master emotions and change your life!”
Books:
- The Giving Tree: a book by Shel Silverstein.
- Anthony Adverse: a multi-volume book by Hervey Allen.
Producer & Host: Alicia Butler Pierre
Audio Editor: Olanrewaju Adeyemo
Sound Design: Sabor! Music Enterprises
Video Editor: Gladys Jimenez
Show notes: Erika Ve Revilla
Sponsor: Equilibria, Inc.More About Guest, Richard Blank:
Richard’s journey in the call center space is filled with twists and turns. When he was 27 years old, he relocated to Costa Rica to train employees for one of the larger call centers in San Jose. With a mix of motivational public speaking style backed by tactful and appropriate rhetoric, Richard shared his knowledge and trained over 10 000 bilingual telemarketers. Richard Blank has the largest collection of restored American Pinball machines and antique Rockola Jukeboxes in Central America making gamification a strong part of CCC culture.
More About Host, Alicia Butler Pierre:
Alicia Butler Pierre is the Founder & CEO of Equilibria, Inc.. Her career in operations began over 25 years ago while working in various chemical plants and oil refineries. She invented the Kasennu™ framework for business infrastructure and authored, Behind the Façade: How to Structure Company Operations for Sustainable Success. She is the producer of the weekly top 2% Business Infrastructure podcast with a global audience across 70+ countries.Alicia is also an adjunct instructor of Lean Principles at Purdue University and serves as the USA Chair of the G100’s Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises. The Process Excellence Network recognized her as a Top 50 Thought Leader in Operational Excellence. A chemical engineer turned entrepreneur, she’s designed and optimized processes for small businesses, large enterprises, non-profits, and government organizations alike.
More About Sponsor, Equilibria:
Equilibria, Inc. is a 20-year-old boutique operations management firm. We build the business infrastructure necessary for fast-growing businesses to scale with less pain. With a range of services and products, entrepreneurs can get the operational support and resources they need on demand. 
