In this inspiring episode of Built for This, Carly Pepin sits down with Richard Blank, entrepreneur and CEO of Costa Rica’s Call Center, to explore the unconventional path that led him from Philadelphia to building a thriving business abroad.
Richard shares how stepping away from family expectations and societal pressure allowed him to pursue a life aligned with his own values. At twenty-seven, he moved to Costa Rica and started a company from scratch in a completely unfamiliar environment. What many would have considered a risky leap became the foundation for a successful business built on authenticity, culture, and human connection.
Throughout the conversation, Richard dives into the human side of leadership, explaining why communication, empathy, and culture are the real drivers of performance. From training voice agents to build genuine rapport with customers to fostering a workplace where people feel respected and supported, he demonstrates how emotional intelligence transforms both teams and outcomes. This episode is a powerful reminder that growth often begins when we step beyond comfort zones and choose a path that reflects who we truly are.
Key Themes:
Authenticity Opens Doors: Why choosing your own path, rather than following expectations, can lead to unexpected opportunities.
Culture Drives Performance: How respect, communication, and empathy create stronger teams and better business results.
Growth Lives Outside the Comfort Zone: Why moving abroad and starting from scratch became the catalyst for Richard’s resilience and success.
Memorable Quotes:
“Sometimes you have to leave the life that’s expected of you in order to build the life that’s truly yours.”
“People remember how you make them feel. That’s just as important in business as it is in life.”
“If you build the right culture, people don’t just work for you. They grow with you.”
About Richard Blank:
Richard Blank describes his life as a spiritual vision-quest journey that required stepping beyond family expectations and societal pressure in order to live authentically. At twenty-seven, he left Philadelphia and moved to Costa Rica, where he built a company from the ground up that would eventually become Costa Rica’s Call Center, which he has led as CEO since 2008.
Giving back is a core part of Richard’s philosophy. Each year he endows a scholarship at Abington Senior High School for students pursuing world languages at the university level. A lifelong enthusiast of vintage arcade culture, he also built the largest collection of restored American pinball machines and antique jukeboxes in Costa Rica.
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Guest: Richard Blank:
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/costa-ricas-call-center-2/
Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ
Costa Rica’s Call Center commercial with Rapper GblackDaBest and Freestyle break-dancer Yeik Lawson Rodríguez
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GQvGZYcX71s
Feliciano School of Business visit with Richard Blank
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=prcJZJnTm28
Host: Carly Pepin
Co-Founder & Host Built For This
West Coast Growth Advisors
Website: https://www.westcoastgrowthadvisors.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlypepin/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@WestCoastGrowthAdvisors
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carly.pepin.consulting/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carlympepin/
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@carlypepin
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