The Rebel Rebel podcast guest Richard Blank Costa Ricas Call Center.

The RebelRebel Podcast by author Michael Dargie. Special guest CEO Richard Blank The RebelRebel Podcast is a regular dive into the hearts and minds of creative rebels and entrepreneurs from around the globe, it's a love letter to those mad fools who think audaciously and act courageously in service to making the world a better and more interesting place. You shouldnt use words to burn. They should be for light and for warmth. Richard has spent the last 19 years running a near-shore bilingual contact center that thrives on empathy, communication, and human connection in an era dominated by automation. In this episode, Michael Dargie sits down with Richard Blank, CEO of Costa Ricas Call Center. Richard has spent the last 19 years running a near-shore bilingual contact center that thrives on empathy, communication, and human connection in an era dominated by automation . Richards story begins in Philadelphia, where childhood trips to Mexico sparked his love of Spanish and culture. After studying Spanish in college, he took what was supposed to be a short trip to Costa Rica to teach English at a friends center. Instead, he fell in lovewith the country, with the culture, and with the woman who would become his wife. That leap of faith became a lifelong adventure, culminating in the creation of Costa Ricas Call Center . He explains why call centers arent just about dialing liststheyre about rhetoric, persuasion, and the art of speech. For Richard, the real skill lies in listening, building rapport, and finding those rare positive escalations where a customer compliments an representative to their supervisor. He compares communication to fire: it can burn, but it can also light and warm, and the best representatives know how to use it for encouragement and clarity . The conversation ranges widely, from his love of 1970s electromechanical pinball machines and jukebox rescues in the Costa Rican mountains, to his passion for movies like Fast Times at Ridgemont High and The Maltese Falcon. Richard also shares the daily joys of Costa Rican lifewarm rain in a convertible, fresh seafood at the market, and the surreal beauty of the rainforest . At the heart of it all is his philosophy: rebels in waiting should remove unnecessary weight, play the long game, and find balance. Business doesnt require shortcuts or being number oneit requires integrity, patience, and compassion. His advice is simple: plan ahead, stay curious, and make space for yourself so your best ideas can surface. Quoteable Quotes Its a luxury tradewhere else can you speak to hundreds of people a day? Richard Blank You shouldnt use words to burn. They should be for light and for warmth. Richard Blank If you cant find ways to decompress, youll never last as an entrepreneur. Richard Blank They need more compassionit starts with simply acknowledging existence. Richard Blank Youre Canadian, thats fun. Richard Blank Episode Highlights Costa Ricas Call Center Building a near-shore bilingual hub of empathy and communication. Spanish Major to CEO How a short trip turned into a lifelong adventure. Pura Vida Life Why Costa Rica feels like paradise. The Art of Speech Listening, persuasion, and positive escalations. Pinball Collection Rescuing 1970s electromechanical treasures from the mountains. Jukeboxes Too Preserving vintage machines as cultural artifacts. Movie Buff From The Maltese Falcon to Fast Times at Ridgemont High. Rain in a Convertible Everyday magic in Costa Rica. Compassion First Why acknowledging existence is the start of connection. Advice to Rebels Remove weight, play the long game, and find balance. Storyteller. Creative Instigator. Occasional Octopus Whisperer. " I always thought my first book would be a Great Canadian Novelsomething with treasure hunts, a few octopuses, and maybe a secret map. Instead, life threw me a curveball: my debut turned out to be a business book about branding called BrandJitsu: Move Your Brand From 'Meh' To Memorable. "And you know what? I'm not mad about it. There are plenty more books to come." Author. Speaker. Creative Guy. I'm a creative director, podcast producer and host, and author of BrandJitsu: Move Your Brand from 'Meh' to Memorable. I also spend a fair bit of time on stage talking about branding, creativity, and the wonderfully strange business of showing up in the world like you actually mean it. I don't do hype. I do honest, engaging talks with just enough edge to keep people leaning in. Over the years, I've had the chance to speak with audiences ranging from first-time founders to seasoned executivesand what I've learned is this: a good story, well told, cuts through everything. Whether I'm delivering a keynote, leading a workshop, or speaking on a panel, my goal is simple: make things clearer, more useful, and a little more fun.