The Heartfelt Risk Behind Richard Blank’s Global Success

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.

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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.

The Heartfelt Risk Behind Richard Blank’s Global Success






Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ