The iNNOVATION Insights Podcast hosted by Dr. Eulanda Sanders. Special guest interview Richard Blank
The iNNOVATION Insights Podcast, hosted by Dr. Eulanda Sanders, welcomes a mosaic of voices from different backgrounds, industries, and expertise, converging on a singular goal: exploring the multifaceted realm of innovation.
The insightful Dr. Eulanda Sanders hosts the iNNOVATION Insights podcast, which welcomes a mosaic of voices from different backgrounds, industries, and expertise, converging on a singular goal: to explore the multifaceted realm of innovation. Eulanda deftly navigates conversations that unearth the macro and micro nuances of what it truly means to innovate, from entrepreneurs to researchers to thinkers to creators.
But this is not just a podcast. It is a challenge. It is a challenge to ignite a flame of curiosity in every listener and to inspire them to look at the world through the lens of possibility.
At iNNOVATION Insights…We transform our clients' career journeys through the art of storytelling via our consulting, coaching, and career management services.
Eulanda Sanders the founder of INNOVATION Insights
Some podcast guests leave a lasting impression not only for their insights, but for the energy they bring into a room—even virtually. Richard Blank, CEO of Costa Rica’s Call Center and self-described linguist, motivator, and arcade enthusiast, is one of those rare people. We connected through PodPage, and from our very first interaction, I knew this would be more than an interview—it would be a deep dive into leadership, communication, and innovation through a Gen X lens. Our shared cultural touchstones, from The Breakfast Club to old-school landlines, set the tone for a rich, inspiring conversation about building businesses with integrity, heart, and humanity.
Breaking Out: Choosing a Different Path from Family Expectations
But to see the first downs compared to the touchdowns and see the progress. It's a beautiful thing. And so for me, it was a lot of expectations. My grandfather went to Harvard Law. My father was in Columbia Business School. My older brother went to Washington and Lee University. What? When I was thinking about that. I realized that I could have potentially forced myself in it, but I would have been stretched thin. It's like that very small cage for that beautiful bird with large wings. And I could picture myself Pink Floyd the wall being a brick, walking into that meat grinding machine, any sort of imaginary thing you could see of being pushed into a Japanese subway car or one of the nameless individuals walking down the New York sidewalks in a suit like they do in those imagery. I couldn't see that. I'm not saying that I'm special, but my goodness gracious, I wanted to step out of that current in the river and get out of that for a second. And just to look left and right before the next 50 years would go by. And so, as a young man, I had to make exceptionally big decisions as a boy. But I knew this.
Confidence and Courage: Training for Real Communication
Well, that's an excellent question, Yolanda. First, let me just finish off on an idea. Most people today are communicating through non-voice. They'll do text and email and chatting. That's fine. It's convenient, but it leaves room for misinterpretation. And you don't really get that sort of sense of someone's feel at the moment. So what sort of training do I do? Well, first it's confidence. Most people would rather do anything else, but stand up and do public speaking or telemarketing. Well, just like Indiana Jones, if you're afraid to go in the cave and he does, then he gets all the riches and all the gold. It's about being, it's a hero's journey, being bold and brave. Look at the education you and your younger sister have. In the beginning, you thought it was just a mountain you couldn't climb and people have tried and quit. And, you know, there's a lot of weight that people can put on you. And if you can eliminate that weight, chances are you can go further. And so something now that we're older, we look back on seemed impossible. It's just part of the process. And if you don't hit the gym, you don't get stronger. And for me, I saw it as dedicated practice.
Creating Something Out of Nothing: The Magic of Innovation
I think I can make this into... Inferno, something huge. Either grow big or blow up. But guess what I created? Something out of nothing. Like a magician that does a red herring, a sleight of hand. But in this case, it wasn't a sleight of hand. It was literally a feeling that turned into a focus, that turned into an idea that came out of me into something that was physical so I could see it. But then all of a sudden turned into that.
Defining Innovation: Vision, Dreams, and Metaphysical Inspiration
Innovation is image streaming. Innovation is having vision. Like the flex capacitor when Doc Brown hit his head and he saw it. Sometimes people have these visions or these dreams. I mean, if you want to talk about innovation, you can think of the industrial revolution and putting things together, the widget or the people in the science lab with the big whiteboard and all the numbers and charts and designs. My, my innovation is the connection from nothing to something. And it had to have come from somewhere. And it's the metaphysics that we will never be able to truly explain that somehow puts you where the stars are aligned and everything seems right, where your mind and body are at the right place for you to have this idea that pops into your head and then you put it into action.
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Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ
iNNOVATION Insights Podcast, Eulanda Sanders, Richard Blank,Costa Rica's Call Center, Outsourcing, Telemarketing Call Centre, BPO, Nearshore Contact Center, Sales, Entrepreneur, B2B, Business, Podcast, Gamification,Leadership, Marketing, CX, Guest, Money, B2C education, BPO trainer,call centre, contact centre, contact center
From Philadelphia to Costa Rica: A Linguist's Journey to Leadership
Richard’s journey from Northeast Philadelphia to founding a call center in Costa Rica was anything but linear. After graduating from Abington High School, he chose to major in Spanish at the University of Arizona—against conventional advice and expectations. His early professional experiences with Corona and Telemundo sharpened his communication skills, but it was a bold decision at age 27 to teach English at a friend’s call center in Costa Rica that sparked his entrepreneurial fire. Over time, he learned the call center industry from the inside out, eventually launching Costa Rica’s Call Center with his wife. Eighteen years later, their business stands as a testament to slow growth, strategic planning, and deep respect for culture.
Soft Skills as Innovation: The Art of the Phone Call
Richard sees call centers not simply as job sites, but as arenas for mastering “the art of speech.” In an era dominated by non-voice communication—texts, emails, emojis—he emphasizes the irreplaceable power of voice-to-voice connection. “You can say something that someone will remember for fifty years,” he told me. His training philosophy includes removing ego-challenging language (“help” becomes “assist,” “sorry” becomes “for clarification”), and embracing discomfort as growth. His call center is a training ground where diplomacy, emotional intelligence, and real-time storytelling are constantly honed.
Building a Business with Integrity and Arcade Games
In our conversation, Richard emphasized that innovation is not about scaling rapidly or chasing investors. Instead, he champions “acting your wage,” ethical decision-making, and pacing growth with sustainability in mind. He started small—renting space, building rows one at a time, investing in technology—and only purchased his building when it made financial sense.
But it is not all spreadsheets and strategy. Richard created a workplace culture that includes retro arcade games, pinball machines, and communal break spaces designed to foster fun and decompress stress. Why? Because people do their best work when they feel valued and balanced. As he said, “Recess was the best part of the day anyway.”
The Hero’s Journey and the Gen X Work Ethic
One of the most poignant parts of our conversation was Richard’s take on the hero’s journey—how stepping off the conventional path gave him the clarity and courage to create his own future. As Gen Xers, many of us grew up having to earn connection through direct communication—calling friends on landlines, knocking on doors, riding bikes around the neighborhood. Richard channels that same resourcefulness and hustle into everything he does.
He reminded us that the best leaders are not always in the corner office. Sometimes they are jumping on calls, mentoring staff, or simply being present with their teams. His brand of leadership is humble, human, and deeply grounded in relationship-building.
Innovation as Energy, Emotion, and Action
When asked to define innovation, Richard gave a beautiful and layered answer: “Innovation is image streaming... a feeling that turns into a focus, that turns into an idea.” His most personal example? The moment he envisioned his company’s logo in a dream—an art deco-style image with CCC glowing in neon—and brought it to life with clay the next day.
Innovation, to Richard, is not reserved for the lab or boardroom. It happens in everyday moments, creative sparks, and courageous decisions. It can be a new approach to customer service, a softer way of speaking, or a business built around caring for employees instead of squeezing profit margins.
Final Thoughts: Leadership Lessons from a Pinball-Wielding CEO
If there is one takeaway from this episode, it is that innovation starts with authenticity. Whether you are a Gen Xer tired of corporate life or a millennial founder launching your first venture, Richard’s story is a reminder to lean into your uniqueness, slow your pace when needed, and never underestimate the power of a well-placed compliment or a well-timed risk.
OUR FOUNDER
I founded iNNOVATION Insights, LLC with the mission to offer a window into the minds of today's thought leaders, industry disruptors, and visionaries from diverse backgrounds to inspire our community.
We challenge you to be moved, to explore, reimagine, and innovate within your spheres of influence. Let's be the catalysts of change and the harbingers of progress.
- Eulanda A. Sanders
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.
Mr. Richard Blank holds a bachelors degree in Communication and Spanish from the University of Arizona and a certificate of language proficiency from the University of Sevilla, Spain. A Keynote speaker for Philadelphia's Abington High School 68th National Honors Society induction ceremony. In addition, inducted into the 2023 Hall of Fame for Business. Giving back to Abington Senior High School is very important to Mr. Blank. As such, he endows a scholarship each year for students that plan on majoring in a world language at the university level.
Costa Rica’s Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center agent so that we may offer the highest quality of outbound and inbound telemarketing solutions and bilingual customer service to small and medium sized international companies, entrepreneurs as well as fortune 500 companies.
We encourage you to visit one of our call centers on your next personal vacation or business trip to Central America’s paradise, Costa Rica. While you are here, we would recommend taking an extra day of your trip to visit breathtaking virgin beaches, play golf next to the ocean, try your luck at deep sea fishing, explore tropical jungles, climb volcanos or just relax in natural hot springs. Come and see for yourself why call center outsourcing in Costa Rica is a perfect solution for your growing company and a powerhouse in the BPO industry.
https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/
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