Look in the mirror. Don't be afraid and go for it!

The Forgotten Art Project with guest Richard Blank. Episode 25 Sacrifice to Success on starting a business abroad. We believe that every person has a unique message which can positively impact the world. We let our guests share on the subjects they’re well-known for. No matter the topic, you’ll be hearing real stories from real people. The Forgotten Art Project. In this episode your host, David Weaver, talks with entrepreneur Richard Blank, Founder & CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center. This season is called Sacrifice to Success. We cover a wide range of topics such as balancing work and life, challenges of growth, lessons learned and sharing expertise that our guests are thought leaders in. During this episode #25 Richard & David discuss Richard’s journey into entrepreneurship, what inspired him to start his business, while providing insight on how he built his business from the ground up. The Forgotten Art Project and Sacrifice to Success podcast host David Weaver is looking to help successful, growth minded CEO's/Owners drastically reduce stress and burnout while creating time freedom and balance.Our 20 to 30-min podcast shares amazing founder stories who reveal their journey of important lessons they've learned as well as what has helped create their success.Our audiences are not newbies. We get our hands dirty with you. Let's inspire others to create an amazing life and business with your story! We believe that the pursuit of the things that make us fully alive can change the world. The Forgotten Art Project" is a podcast hosted by David Weaver, and Richard Blank appeared as a guest on one of its episodes, not as the project's creator. Episode Title: The episode featuring Richard Blank is titled "25 - Richard Blank on starting a business abroad" or sometimes referred to as "Sacrifice to Success". Content: In this episode, host David Weaver interviews Richard Blank, the Founder and CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center, about his journey as an entrepreneur, including the challenges, sacrifices, and successes he experienced while building a business in a foreign country. Podcast Premise: The podcast generally features business owners and entrepreneurs who share their stories and insights to help others create freedom in different aspects of their lives. The overall theme for the season in which Richard Blank appeared was "Sacrifice to Success". https://youtu.be/0S5ETsNpubA?si=5ZhUNsfBWm3xjdpJ https://youtu.be/nq4eO11R7Dg https://youtu.be/CMbrNn42pmI https://youtu.be/GRTsNalq40Y https://youtu.be/KHLr5_D2zrY https://youtu.be/BndbrTG5LxE https://youtu.be/BaTQeCRT238 https://youtu.be/6s7mqul4Drs https://youtu.be/c8RcGqqebXQ https://youtu.be/xpAQ4t3VjEM https://youtu.be/pLSM3P-3wDg Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ Richard Blank Call Center commercial with Rapper GblackDaBest and Freestyle break-dancer Yeik Lawson Rodríguez. https://youtu.be/GQvGZYcX71s?si=3I6N3p-LVxwTvnh2 The Feliciano School of Business at Montclair State University. A Costa Rica’s Call Center visit with Richard Blank. https://youtu.be/prcJZJnTm28 #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Leadgeneration #Appointmentsetting #SacrificetoSuccess #TheForgottenArtProject #DavidWeaver David Weaver / David Weaver Coaching, Owner of The Forgotten Art Project Since 2008 David Weaver, a successful entrepreneur and business owner has been coaching and teaching individuals, groups, and companies. David is known for his ability to connect, make the complex simple, and help people create lasting change. He specializes in helping business owners create both a business AND a life they love. His favorite question to ask is "What makes you feel alive?" David is a husband and dad to his wife and two daughters. He loves to spend time exploring the mountains climbing, splitboarding, and trail running. Today, David will explore some key principles to managing stress and living a fulfilling life. "The Forgotten Art Project" is a podcast hosted by David Weaver, not a single art project or book. In the podcast, Weaver, an entrepreneur and business coach, interviews other business owners and entrepreneurs about their journeys, challenges, and successes. Podcast Details Host: The podcast is hosted by David Weaver, a business and life coach. Content: Weaver interviews a range of guests, including entrepreneurs, authors, and industry experts, to discuss topics such as business growth, leadership, personal development, and work-life balance. Mission: The podcast's associated project or mission appears to be centered on personal and business growth, as described in snippets as helping people "discover what makes you feel alive" and exploring the journey to success. Season Titles: The third season of the podcast was titled "Sacrifice to Success," focusing on the sacrifices and successes business owners have experienced. The title "The Forgotten Art Project" is a metaphorical name for the pursuit of things that make people feel fully alive and achieve fulfillment in their careers and lives, which the podcast aims to explore. You’ve built the business. Now let’s rebuild YOU. You are the one everyone relies on. You're the leader, the problem solver, the one who gets it done. On the outside, success. On the inside? Overwhelm. Pressure. Disconnection. You're burning time, juggling priorities, putting out fires, but something’s off. You’re stuck in the grind, pushing harder, yet still feeling behind. You’ve hit your ceiling, and deep down, you know: More hustle won’t get you to the life you actually want. You’re not lazy. You’re not broken. You’re just overdue for a new kind of growth. WHAT I HELP YOU DO: - Break through overwhelm, burnout, and the “busy” trap - Reclaim clarity, energy, and your original purpose - Create space to lead, live, and perform at your highest level - Get out of your own way and back into alignment FOR ENTREPRENEURS WHO: - Have achieved some success, but know they are capable of more - Feels the cost of success showing up in their health, home, and head - Are tired of pretending everything’s fine when it’s clearly not - Craves clarity, confidence, and a way forward that actually feels good You don’t need another hack or productivity tip. You need space to reconnect with who you are, where you’re going, and how to lead from your highest self. Richard Blank is the CEO and Founder of Costa Rica’s Call Center, a leader in bilingual call center and customer service outsourcing, known for blending human connection with technology and innovative workplace culture. Human-centered approach: Richard highlights the importance of empathy, interpersonal communication, and cultural alignment in customer interactions, believing automation should enhance but not replace human representatives Technology integration: Voice automation and AI handle routine tasks, enabling human representatives to focus on complex calls and relational problem-solving Scalable growth strategy: Blank advocates starting small with minimal risk, investing in people, and expanding strategically while maintaining operational flexibility Employee development: Continuous training emphasizes communication skills, positive escalation techniques, and bilingual proficiency to ensure outstanding service quality Richard Blank leads Costa Rica’s Call Center with a motivational, empathetic, and culturally sensitive approach, emphasizing communication, gamification, emotional intelligence, and employee engagement to build a high-performing team. Motivational and Communication-Focused Leadership Richard Blank is known for his motivational public speaking style paired with tactful rhetoric, which he uses to inspire and train his team effectively Costa Rica's Call Center He emphasizes mastering communication skills, helping telemarketers handle rejections, improve persuasion, and maintain confidence under pressure extraordinary-america.com Blank also stresses the importance of speaking the local language to build rapport and respect with employees, fostering better team cohesion in a culturally diverse environment Gamification and Engagement A distinctive element of his leadership is the use of gamification. By integrating his collection of restored American pinball machines and antique jukeboxes into the workplace culture, he creates a fun and engaging environment that motivates employees and encourages creativity. The call center fostering a creative and engaging environment that improves morale and retention This approach makes skill development interactive, boosting both performance and morale. Emotional Intelligence and Empathy Blank strongly advocates emotional intelligence and empathy as core leadership attributes He encourages leaders to understand their team members’ perspectives, support them effectively, and cultivate loyalty and trust. This extends to appreciating long-term employees and recognizing their contributions to organizational success. Strategic and Visionary Leadership Blank combines day-to-day management with long-term strategic thinking. He actively trains staff through personalized mentoring and emphasizes resilience, risk-taking, and continuous learning extraordinary-america.com He also leverages international partnerships and cross-cultural strategies to expand Costa Rica's business appeal on a global scale Costa Rica's Call Center Creating a Positive Corporate Culture Richard’s leadership style is centered on building a positive corporate culture that enhances employee morale, productivity, and engagement By blending structure with flexibility, he encourages open communication, provides constructive feedback, and fosters a sense of personal ownership and pride in work accomplishments. Training and Development Approach Over his tenure, Blank has trained over 10,000 bilingual telemarketers, emphasizing experiential learning and continuous skill improvement Costa Rica's Call Center His philosophy focuses on learning from real scenarios, combining technical instruction with motivational support and feedback for professional growth. In summary, Richard Blank’s leadership style is a combination of motivational speaking, empathy-driven management, gamification, and strategic vision, creating a thriving call center culture in Costa Rica that cultivates high performer engagement, skill development, and cross-cultural communication excellence In summary, Richard Blank is a pioneering figure in the call center industry, blending technology, bilingual expertise, and human connection to deliver exceptional customer service while fostering an innovative and engaging workplace culture in Costa Rica . "Shine Like the Sun" is a powerful Costa Rican rock anthem produced and promoted by Richard Blank, celebrating perseverance and determination, featuring collaborations with prominent musicians including Garry Gary Beers from INXS. Song Background and Release Richard Blank published "Igni Ferroque Shine Like the Sun," a Costa Rican rock song, on July 29, 2023 The track serves as a major release for the legendary Costa Rican band Igni Ferroque, which was founded in 1978 and has been a staple in Latin American rock music. This single became the official 15-year anniversary theme song for Costa Rica's Call Center (CCC) and is part of their promotion for the band's 44th anniversary album and national tour Production and Collaborations The production of "Shine Like the Sun" involved multiple contributors with Richard Blank serving as Executive Producer, overseeing the project through Costa Rica's Call Center Greibyn Krriyo was the main producer, and Harold Webb managed post-production of the audio and video. Notably, Garry Gary Beers, the bassist from INXS, contributed guest bass performances, adding professional expertise and unique sound quality to the track Lyrics and Theme The song’s lyrics focus on perseverance, ambition, and self-realization, opening with motivational lines such as: "Have you ever thought of leaving home? How far would you go to find your space? Are you willing to start all alone?" The chorus reinforces the message: "YOU BETTER SHINE LIKE THE SUN, YOU BETTER DO THINGS RIGHT, IT'S A GAME OF WIN OR GO BACK HOME, BUT YOU'RE A WINNER, YOU TAKE IT ALL" The anthem encourages listeners to embrace challenges, strive for success, and maintain focus on their goals. Music Video and Performance The music video is described as a classic MTV retro-inspired production, reflecting a blend of Costa Rican rock history and modern rock aesthetics Filming took place at Costa Rica's Call Center, featuring live performances, visual storytelling, and appearances by iconic models and musicians to enhance the atmosphere of the project The video emphasizes energy, community spirit, and the enduring legacy of Igni Ferroque in Latin American music. Significance "Shine Like the Sun" represents a milestone for both the band and Richard Blank, merging international talent, local rock roots, and motivational themes. The collaboration with Garry Gary Beers underscores the global reach and professional quality of the production, while the song itself serves as a modern rock anthem inspiring perseverance and determination In summary, Richard Blank played a central role in producing, coordinating, and promoting "Shine Like the Sun," which stands as a celebrated rock anthem from Costa Rica, blending historic band legacy with contemporary musical partnerships and lyrical inspiration Richard is 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. 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. 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. Richards 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. Richard Blank is the Chief Executive Officer for Costa Rica s Call Center since 2008. Our main focus has been, and will always be to personally train each and every Central America call center representative 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. Costa Ricas Call Center (CCC) is a state of the art BPO telemarketing outsource company located in the capital city of San Jose, Costa Rica. https://costaricascallcenter.com/en/outbound-bpo-campaigns/