Building Gomba's First Community Library: A Vision for Change.

Be Peace Africa podcast. Nigerian Teacher Ronald Kiyimba special interview with Richard Blank. We promote peacebuilding efforts in Africa. We focus on enhancing peace within local communities and cultivating ethical behavior among children, youth, parents, faith-based institutions, schools, and stakeholders. Through local languages, we effectively communicate our message. Our goal is to promote peace at all levels and educate young people on good ethics and moral living. Through practical guidance and engaging discussions, we inspire positive change and empower the next generation as peace agents. Join us on this transformative journey as we explore various topics, feature insightful guests, and provide valuable insights on peacebuilding and moral development. Our content inspires, educates, and guides towards a more peaceful and ethical society. BePeace Africa's mission of peacebuilding in Africa is vital in a continent that continues to face various challenges. By embracing localized approaches, fostering collaborative partnerships, and taking a holistic view of peacebuilding, BePeace Africa is making a tangible difference in communities across Africa. Through its tireless efforts and commitment to empowering youth and women, BePeace Africa is paving the way for a more peaceful and prosperous future for Africa. Building Gomba's First Community Library: A Vision for Change I think i wanted to establish to construct a community library in gomba district i have the land the plan I did, the first community library in the entire district. There is not any library at all. But I have a land, and a plan, and the children, and some materials they have developed, because you want that library to be launched with the materials written by community children themselves. It is the only way that will enable them to improve their skill. becoming better authors, better knowledge engineers. Now, a library, a community library, say, of 50,000 US dollars, 50,000 just US dollars, we can have a community library, the first of its kind. We have space for reading, space for recreation, space for accommodation for those who are homeless. where community members may come, they sit, say in a garden, read, revise, relax, and then they go. Have such kind of dream for these smaller communities where I'm engaged with learners. https://youtu.be/Bd4KwKjr-9Y https://youtu.be/l3rRhagUO5g Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ Ronald Kiyimba, BePeace Africa, 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,trend, trending Ronald Kiyimba Ronald is a Knowledge Instructor of the Golden Rule Ethic and Peacebuilding on the Be Peace Africa Podcast. Ronald is an accomplished financial management specialist with over 9 years of professional experience across diverse business sectors in financial modeling, grants management, review and development of financial policies/systems as well as operations management with a proven track record of success to improve operations and impact business growth having managed projects funded by MTN and the government of Uganda, the US Government (CDC, USAID, and NIH), UN (Unicef) and other agencies, such as the ELMA Foundation, the Austrian Development Agency, and others. Ronald is a Certified Public Accountant from the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Uganda, with vast knowledge in building teams, reviewing, developing and monitoring operational systems. Peace Building in Africa: Empowering Change through BePeace Africa Peace is an essential ingredient for progress, stability, and prosperity. In the dynamic and diverse continent of Africa, organizations like BePeace Africa are at the forefront of promoting peacebuilding initiatives. With a strong mission and unwavering dedication, BePeace Africa is empowering positive change across the continent, one community at a time. 1. Understanding BePeace Africa's Mission: BePeace Africa is driven by a powerful mission: to foster sustainable peace, social cohesion, and conflict resolution in Africa. The organization recognizes that lasting peace can only be achieved through grassroots efforts and community engagement. With this understanding, BePeace Africa actively works to create an environment where peace can thrive. 2. Localized Approaches to Peacebuilding: One of the distinguishing aspects of BePeace Africa's mission is its emphasis on localized approaches to peacebuilding. Recognizing the uniqueness of African cultures, traditions, and contexts, BePeace Africa tailors its initiatives to address the specific needs and challenges of diverse communities across the continent. By understanding and respecting local dynamics, BePeace Africa is able to implement effective and sustainable peacebuilding strategies. 3. Collaborative Partnerships: BePeace Africa firmly believes in the power of collaboration. To achieve its mission, the organization actively seeks partnerships with governments, local communities, civil society organizations, and other stakeholders. By leveraging collective expertise and resources, BePeace Africa can maximize its impact and reach more communities in need of peacebuilding interventions. 4. Holistic Approach to Peacebuilding: BePeace Africa takes a holistic approach to peacebuilding, recognizing that peace encompasses various dimensions of human existence. The organization addresses not only the immediate conflicts and tensions but also the underlying root causes. Through a combination of dialogue, education, capacity building, and reconciliation processes, BePeace Africa works towards building a sustainable peace that promotes social justice, inclusivity, and harmony. 5. Empowering Youth and Women: BePeace Africa places a special focus on empowering youth and women as agents of change. Recognizing their potential as catalysts for peace, the organization provides platforms and opportunities for young people and women to actively engage in peacebuilding activities. By nurturing their leadership skills, fostering dialogue, and amplifying their voices, BePeace Africa is shaping the future of peacebuilding in Africa. 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/ #RonaldKiyimba #BePeaceAfrica #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #trend #trending #listennow #subscribe #podcastclip #podcastvideo #videopodcasting #podcastguest Can Spirituality and Kindness Unite Us All? Every day is a gift. Every day is a gift, and you know that. Yes, every day is a gift for us. Now, the spirituality. How do you see there are different religions? People come from different religions, which looks like bringing division is affecting their unity. What do you mean by spirituality? Is there a form of the spirituality that can unite us all to experience the love? I've learned two things in life. You should never talk politics or religion. But this is what I do know. Alms, alms. When people are capable of giving food, giving shelter, giving warmth, giving love. And I don't think that's any sort of religion. As I mentioned, I think that's a universal thing. The Power of Communication and Storytelling over Technology Well, that's an excellent question. There's a lot to unpack there. I think from watching your videos and reading about your organization, the greatest thing, once again, is just simple communication from storytelling, book reading, and classroom instruction. And I'll tell you why. Because I'm 52 years old, and technology is wonderful today, and it really assists. But there's nothing better than that face-to-face communication. And when people are working with one another compared to just sending an email and texting and chatting, which is important. It's important to have those skills. But I've always found that individuals that can really deliver a message and can make their points very clear, are undoubtedly some of the wisest ones you could find. So I guess since your culture is so rich and so diverse and it just has so much to offer, I'm just a kid from Northeast Philadelphia. I mean, I could talk about things I grew up with, but really I'm the one that's in awe. I'm the one that would like to learn. And so if it's my ability to share knowledge, my education, my stories, and what got me to where I am today. And this can assist entrepreneurs, individuals studying second and third languages, or deciding to, let's say, move out of the continent of Africa and become an expatriate and travel the world. I believe in my personal space. These are the sort of things that I would be able to share with you and your audience.

Eulanda Sanders the founder of INNOVATION Insights smiling

At iNNOVATION Insights…We transform our clients' career journeys through the art of storytelling via our consulting, coaching, and career management services.

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. 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. To all the dreamers, linguists, and pinball machine collectors out there—this one is for you. Keep innovating! Eulanda

The Incredible Power of Shared Human Experiences | iNNOVATION Insights P...

Richard Blank delves into the profound connections that form between strangers when they experience intense moments together. From surviving accidents to organ donations and life-saving acts, these shared experiences create lifelong bonds. Richard emphasizes the respect and emotional strength found in genuine human connections, especially in moments of vulnerability. Discover the beauty and power of true emotions and connections in this insightful discussion.

How Richard Blank Built a 7-Figure Business in Costa Rica | Salty Ginger...

From Philly to Pura Vida: Richard Blank’s 7-Figure Success in Costa Rica 🇨🇷 What happens when you leave behind the noise, expectations, and pressure and chase your own vision? At just 27 years old, Richard Blank walked away from a life in Philadelphia to follow his intuition and built a 7-figure business in the heart of Costa Rica. In this episode of Salty Ginger Talk, we dive into Richard’s incredible transformation from dreamer to CEO of Costa Rica’s Call Center. 🎙️ Discover how Richard: 1. Built a 150+ employee company from scratch 2. Trained over 10,000 telemarketers in communication mastery 3. Created a positive workplace culture focused on motivation & human potential 4. Collected the largest pinball & jukebox collection in Costa Rica 5. Uses the famous Buffer-Boomerang Technique for high-conversion sales 6. Collaborated with INXS bassist Garry Gary Beers on a rock project 7. Gives back through education, leadership and global impact This episode is for anyone looking to reinvent their life, build something meaningful, and lead with heart. 📺 Watch full episode on YouTube & Rumble just search Salty Ginger Talk 🌐 Learn more: http://www.saltygingertalk.com #SaltyGingerTalk #RichardBlank #CostaRicaCallCenter #EntrepreneurStory #LifeReinvention #PinballCEO #SalesMastery #BusinessGrowth #PurposeDrivenLeadership #TelemarketingTips #PhillyToCostaRica #PodcastClip #7FigureSuccess People mentioned

Warrior Psychology & Making an Impression on Calls. #Telemarketing #BPO...

AI & Data Driven Leadership podcast. Richard Blank: Episode 9 - Empathy Over Algorithms: The Future of Customer Service In this episode of AI & Data Driven Leadership, Dean Guida speaks to the President and Bilingual Telemarketer Trainer of Costa Rica's Call Center, Richard Blank. Richard emphasizes the irreplaceable value of human empathy and effective communication in customer interactions. He shares insights on hiring practices, training methods, and the importance of building client relationships. Richard also discusses balancing technology with the human touch, noting that while AI can streamline processes, genuine human connection remains essential. Richard highlights strategies for maintaining high-quality customer service and the significance of empathy in the digital age. The AI & Data Driven Leadership Podcast offers a platform for leaders like you to share your experiences and strategies with a dedicated audience of business professionals and fellow executives from around the world. If you lead a company with at least 30 professional employees, we invite you to join us and share how data-driven decision-making has helped you solve complex problems, align strategic goals, and foster growth within your organization. Each episode of AI & Data Driven Leadership is a celebration of leadership, innovation, and the data-driven tactics that are driving the future of business. We bring forward stories of success and lessons learned from industry leaders who have navigated today’s most pressing challenges and turned them into opportunities for growth. AI’s Role Versus Human Empathy in Call Centers I can see it. And I know that when they get better with AI, there'll be chances to gather information in a more effective way. But here's the kicker. AI can do the majority of the work in any sort of vertical medium, but the last 10% needs to be the real, true, sincere empathy between two human beings. If you're speaking to a doctor, a law firm, customer support to save that account, how many times, Dean, have you pressed zero? How many times has the IVR not recognized what you said, which airport it was? It's annoying. And then the call could get dropped. And as much as you think it's efficient, guess what? You haven't gotten there yet. You will, but not yet. And so let them gather the basics, pass it on to the advanced agent. Will it remove the frontline? It may. But if you have those advanced soft skills, you shouldn't worry about your job. There'll always be somewhere for you and you should be marketable. I know it's gonna change the industry and I have to really put myself in the shoes of the consumer. If it's more efficient, if you can save money, if you have more options, if there's no cursing or frustration and you can get a first call resolution, then by all means do it. but don't tell me that the best relationships are made. It's between individuals, the ups and the downs and showing character when times are tough. And so if you're looking to retain somebody or get a referral or a reference, I think most people are gonna give that when you've earned it. Being the Rudder: Guiding Conversations and Connecting with AI Really, it's think about this. You could have the largest ship and cruise liner in the world, but it just takes that little rudder to move it. Correct, Amundo? And so I just want to be that rudder. You can do the rest. And let's just make sure that we're able to groove together. you know, all these things we're talking about, they are related to AI and data because all of this is patterns and recognition and adjustments. And so what's kind of interesting is, do you think you can teach an AI these type of skills from your point of view? Building Trust and the Limits of AI in Business Relationships good friend is what I did in the beginning of your podcast. I sincerely gave a positive escalation to your personal assistant, Virginia, because she was rocking and rolling this morning, making sure everything was perfect. When you do something like that for somebody, it's going to separate me from the 999 other people that have been on your podcast and and have contacted you for business. And so when it comes down to choosing somebody to work with, the contract, the recommendation, you put everything else aside, the prices and stuff, and you say, you know, prior to any sort of money exchange or contract, look what he said about Virginia. Look at the sort of due diligence we did about each other and we're really interested in one another. And I think that's the sort of individual that I could work with long-term because when the going gets tough, I know Richie's not gonna have any surprises. He's gonna give you a phone call and let you know what's happening and then have a game plan. And that's maturity and impulse control. And it was one of the toughest things I had to learn. But these were some of the best lessons I had is the relationships I had with my clients when I had to make that call, Dean. I tell you what, AI can't make that call, Dean. How can AI break news? Unless they're telling you your lights are shut off or your bank's got nothing in it, zero balance. You don't wanna hear that from AI. Warrior Psychology & Making an Impression on Calls And I think this is the best bit of advice that I can give to you, because I'll give you a thousand techniques, but let me tell you the psychology of the warrior, not the shield and the sword. I got to give you what gets me on this battlefield. It's a romantic death, jumping a cloud. I can give you the greatest 30 seconds ever. And if I'm completely disqualified, they hang up with me or whatever, I will at least do a company named Spike. AI data-driven leadership podcast. How are you today, you know? And then at least I'll say it better than the Virginia or whoever else answers your phone. And so at least I'm using anonymity to my advantage. It's a first impression. I'm not doing it the whole call that shady. Then you're probably gonna say, who's this compared to, is this a sales call? Why are you calling? Take me off your list. So now let's say it's Richard Blank. And if you say, you know, good morning, this is Dean. I would go, hey Dean, it's Richard Blank. And then it's the double dip. It's to see if you ask who Richard Blank is. And then I'll mention the CEO of Costa Rica's call center. And then you play your odds. https://youtu.be/suG9Kod45DI https://youtube.com/shorts/ZPIHkTowb7Y https://youtube.com/shorts/uT-kpgfBwWc https://youtube.com/shorts/dHb1Y_I1s1I https://youtu.be/gtJ_HlTmhKg https://youtu.be/dgHrVBfPqkM https://youtu.be/utNi5lSwtT4 https://youtu.be/sKmCVBSJwNA Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ AI & Data Driven Leadership, Dean Guida, 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,trend, trending Dean Guida Tech entrepreneur and CEO Dean Guida knows there’s a limit to what you can build with grit alone. At sixteen, Dean bought the first IBM PC and fell in love with writing software. He went on to receive a bachelor of science degree in operation research from the University of Miami. After graduating, he was a freelance developer and wrote many systems for IBM and on Wall Street. At twenty-three, he started Infragistics to build UX/UI tools for professional software developers. Seemingly overnight, Dean had to go from early internet coder to business operator—a feat that forced him to learn some of business’s biggest lessons on the job. He immediately began navigating the nuances of scaling a company, hiring and growing teams, and becoming a leader, a manager, and a mentor. Fast-forward thirty-six years, and Dean’s tech company now has operations in six countries. More than two million developers use Infragistics software, and its client roster boasts 100 percent of the S&P 500, including Fidelity, Morgan Stanley, Exxon, Intuit, and Bank of America. With over 35 years of experience as a CEO and founder, I am passionate about empowering developers and businesses to build and style immersive user experiences and rich data visualization across all platforms. I lead Infragistics, the world leader in user interface development tools and an expert in user-centered design with a global presence and a loyal customer base. Through my upcoming book "When Grit is Not Enough" and Slingshot, I want to help entrepreneurs/CEOs create agile, data driven learning organizations and win against large funded companies. Ready to take your business to the next level? This book is for you. As an entrepreneur growing your business, how will you respond when things don’t go as planned? How do you keep up with constant technology shifts? How do you successfully scale your teams and strategy as you scale your product? When Grit Is Not Enough is a tactical playbook that has answers to these questions and more. Its lessons show you how to create a strong culture of organizational learning and agility and build high-performing and engaged teams who will thrive in our ever-changing world. This road map will empower you to compete—and win—against heavily funded and resourced competitors. Author and tech CEO Dean Guida, who took his company from a startup to a thriving multinational business, knows well that entrepreneurial grit can only get you so far. Packed with his knowledge from more than three decades of operating in an unforgiving marketplace, When Grit Is Not Enough covers a wide range of topics. Dean Guida - When Grit is not enough The book covers a wide range of topics, including: Creating organizational alignment Setting meaningful measurements and goals Building a data-driven culture Creating a Learning Organization Strategic planning Leadership and coaching Having tough conversations Hiring and retaining valuable team members If you’re an entrepreneur whose hard work and grit have gotten your business off the ground and ready for the next stage, this book will get you there, enhancing your chances of success, happiness, and accomplishment with your company and journey in life. 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/ #AIDataDrivenLeadership #DeanGuida #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #trend #trending #listennow #subscribe #podcastclip #podcastvideo #videopodcasting #podcastguest

Building Trust and the Limits of AI in Business Relationships

AI & Data Driven Leadership podcast. Richard Blank: Episode 9 - Empathy Over Algorithms: The Future of Customer Service In this episode of AI & Data Driven Leadership, Dean Guida speaks to the President and Bilingual Telemarketer Trainer of Costa Rica's Call Center, Richard Blank. Richard emphasizes the irreplaceable value of human empathy and effective communication in customer interactions. He shares insights on hiring practices, training methods, and the importance of building client relationships. Richard also discusses balancing technology with the human touch, noting that while AI can streamline processes, genuine human connection remains essential. Richard highlights strategies for maintaining high-quality customer service and the significance of empathy in the digital age. The AI & Data Driven Leadership Podcast offers a platform for leaders like you to share your experiences and strategies with a dedicated audience of business professionals and fellow executives from around the world. If you lead a company with at least 30 professional employees, we invite you to join us and share how data-driven decision-making has helped you solve complex problems, align strategic goals, and foster growth within your organization. Each episode of AI & Data Driven Leadership is a celebration of leadership, innovation, and the data-driven tactics that are driving the future of business. We bring forward stories of success and lessons learned from industry leaders who have navigated today’s most pressing challenges and turned them into opportunities for growth. AI’s Role Versus Human Empathy in Call Centers I can see it. And I know that when they get better with AI, there'll be chances to gather information in a more effective way. But here's the kicker. AI can do the majority of the work in any sort of vertical medium, but the last 10% needs to be the real, true, sincere empathy between two human beings. If you're speaking to a doctor, a law firm, customer support to save that account, how many times, Dean, have you pressed zero? How many times has the IVR not recognized what you said, which airport it was? It's annoying. And then the call could get dropped. And as much as you think it's efficient, guess what? You haven't gotten there yet. You will, but not yet. And so let them gather the basics, pass it on to the advanced agent. Will it remove the frontline? It may. But if you have those advanced soft skills, you shouldn't worry about your job. There'll always be somewhere for you and you should be marketable. I know it's gonna change the industry and I have to really put myself in the shoes of the consumer. If it's more efficient, if you can save money, if you have more options, if there's no cursing or frustration and you can get a first call resolution, then by all means do it. but don't tell me that the best relationships are made. It's between individuals, the ups and the downs and showing character when times are tough. And so if you're looking to retain somebody or get a referral or a reference, I think most people are gonna give that when you've earned it. Being the Rudder: Guiding Conversations and Connecting with AI Really, it's think about this. You could have the largest ship and cruise liner in the world, but it just takes that little rudder to move it. Correct, Amundo? And so I just want to be that rudder. You can do the rest. And let's just make sure that we're able to groove together. you know, all these things we're talking about, they are related to AI and data because all of this is patterns and recognition and adjustments. And so what's kind of interesting is, do you think you can teach an AI these type of skills from your point of view? Building Trust and the Limits of AI in Business Relationships good friend is what I did in the beginning of your podcast. I sincerely gave a positive escalation to your personal assistant, Virginia, because she was rocking and rolling this morning, making sure everything was perfect. When you do something like that for somebody, it's going to separate me from the 999 other people that have been on your podcast and and have contacted you for business. And so when it comes down to choosing somebody to work with, the contract, the recommendation, you put everything else aside, the prices and stuff, and you say, you know, prior to any sort of money exchange or contract, look what he said about Virginia. Look at the sort of due diligence we did about each other and we're really interested in one another. And I think that's the sort of individual that I could work with long-term because when the going gets tough, I know Richie's not gonna have any surprises. He's gonna give you a phone call and let you know what's happening and then have a game plan. And that's maturity and impulse control. And it was one of the toughest things I had to learn. But these were some of the best lessons I had is the relationships I had with my clients when I had to make that call, Dean. I tell you what, AI can't make that call, Dean. How can AI break news? Unless they're telling you your lights are shut off or your bank's got nothing in it, zero balance. You don't wanna hear that from AI. https://youtu.be/suG9Kod45DI https://youtube.com/shorts/ZPIHkTowb7Y https://youtube.com/shorts/uT-kpgfBwWc https://youtube.com/shorts/dHb1Y_I1s1I https://youtu.be/gtJ_HlTmhKg https://youtu.be/dgHrVBfPqkM https://youtu.be/utNi5lSwtT4 Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ AI & Data Driven Leadership, Dean Guida, 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,trend, trending Dean Guida Tech entrepreneur and CEO Dean Guida knows there’s a limit to what you can build with grit alone. At sixteen, Dean bought the first IBM PC and fell in love with writing software. He went on to receive a bachelor of science degree in operation research from the University of Miami. After graduating, he was a freelance developer and wrote many systems for IBM and on Wall Street. At twenty-three, he started Infragistics to build UX/UI tools for professional software developers. Seemingly overnight, Dean had to go from early internet coder to business operator—a feat that forced him to learn some of business’s biggest lessons on the job. He immediately began navigating the nuances of scaling a company, hiring and growing teams, and becoming a leader, a manager, and a mentor. Fast-forward thirty-six years, and Dean’s tech company now has operations in six countries. More than two million developers use Infragistics software, and its client roster boasts 100 percent of the S&P 500, including Fidelity, Morgan Stanley, Exxon, Intuit, and Bank of America. With over 35 years of experience as a CEO and founder, I am passionate about empowering developers and businesses to build and style immersive user experiences and rich data visualization across all platforms. I lead Infragistics, the world leader in user interface development tools and an expert in user-centered design with a global presence and a loyal customer base. Through my upcoming book "When Grit is Not Enough" and Slingshot, I want to help entrepreneurs/CEOs create agile, data driven learning organizations and win against large funded companies. Ready to take your business to the next level? This book is for you. As an entrepreneur growing your business, how will you respond when things don’t go as planned? How do you keep up with constant technology shifts? How do you successfully scale your teams and strategy as you scale your product? When Grit Is Not Enough is a tactical playbook that has answers to these questions and more. Its lessons show you how to create a strong culture of organizational learning and agility and build high-performing and engaged teams who will thrive in our ever-changing world. This road map will empower you to compete—and win—against heavily funded and resourced competitors. Author and tech CEO Dean Guida, who took his company from a startup to a thriving multinational business, knows well that entrepreneurial grit can only get you so far. Packed with his knowledge from more than three decades of operating in an unforgiving marketplace, When Grit Is Not Enough covers a wide range of topics. Dean Guida - When Grit is not enough The book covers a wide range of topics, including: Creating organizational alignment Setting meaningful measurements and goals Building a data-driven culture Creating a Learning Organization Strategic planning Leadership and coaching Having tough conversations Hiring and retaining valuable team members If you’re an entrepreneur whose hard work and grit have gotten your business off the ground and ready for the next stage, this book will get you there, enhancing your chances of success, happiness, and accomplishment with your company and journey in life. 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/ #AIDataDrivenLeadership #DeanGuida #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #trend #trending #listennow #subscribe #podcastclip #podcastvideo #videopodcasting #podcastguest Warrior Psychology & Making an Impression on Calls And I think this is the best bit of advice that I can give to you, because I'll give you a thousand techniques, but let me tell you the psychology of the warrior, not the shield and the sword. I got to give you what gets me on this battlefield. It's a romantic death, jumping a cloud. I can give you the greatest 30 seconds ever. And if I'm completely disqualified, they hang up with me or whatever, I will at least do a company named Spike. AI data-driven leadership podcast. How are you today, you know? And then at least I'll say it better than the Virginia or whoever else answers your phone. And so at least I'm using anonymity to my advantage. It's a first impression. I'm not doing it the whole call that shady. Then you're probably gonna say, who's this compared to, is this a sales call? Why are you calling? Take me off your list. So now let's say it's Richard Blank. And if you say, you know, good morning, this is Dean. I would go, hey Dean, it's Richard Blank. And then it's the double dip. It's to see if you ask who Richard Blank is. And then I'll mention the CEO of Costa Rica's call center. And then you play your odds.

Being the Rudder: Guiding Conversations and Connecting with AI.#Outsourc...

AI & Data Driven Leadership podcast. Richard Blank: Episode 9 - Empathy Over Algorithms: The Future of Customer Service In this episode of AI & Data Driven Leadership, Dean Guida speaks to the President and Bilingual Telemarketer Trainer of Costa Rica's Call Center, Richard Blank. Richard emphasizes the irreplaceable value of human empathy and effective communication in customer interactions. He shares insights on hiring practices, training methods, and the importance of building client relationships. Richard also discusses balancing technology with the human touch, noting that while AI can streamline processes, genuine human connection remains essential. Richard highlights strategies for maintaining high-quality customer service and the significance of empathy in the digital age. The AI & Data Driven Leadership Podcast offers a platform for leaders like you to share your experiences and strategies with a dedicated audience of business professionals and fellow executives from around the world. If you lead a company with at least 30 professional employees, we invite you to join us and share how data-driven decision-making has helped you solve complex problems, align strategic goals, and foster growth within your organization. Each episode of AI & Data Driven Leadership is a celebration of leadership, innovation, and the data-driven tactics that are driving the future of business. We bring forward stories of success and lessons learned from industry leaders who have navigated today’s most pressing challenges and turned them into opportunities for growth. AI’s Role Versus Human Empathy in Call Centers I can see it. And I know that when they get better with AI, there'll be chances to gather information in a more effective way. But here's the kicker. AI can do the majority of the work in any sort of vertical medium, but the last 10% needs to be the real, true, sincere empathy between two human beings. If you're speaking to a doctor, a law firm, customer support to save that account, how many times, Dean, have you pressed zero? How many times has the IVR not recognized what you said, which airport it was? It's annoying. And then the call could get dropped. And as much as you think it's efficient, guess what? You haven't gotten there yet. You will, but not yet. And so let them gather the basics, pass it on to the advanced agent. Will it remove the frontline? It may. But if you have those advanced soft skills, you shouldn't worry about your job. There'll always be somewhere for you and you should be marketable. I know it's gonna change the industry and I have to really put myself in the shoes of the consumer. If it's more efficient, if you can save money, if you have more options, if there's no cursing or frustration and you can get a first call resolution, then by all means do it. but don't tell me that the best relationships are made. It's between individuals, the ups and the downs and showing character when times are tough. And so if you're looking to retain somebody or get a referral or a reference, I think most people are gonna give that when you've earned it. Being the Rudder: Guiding Conversations and Connecting with AI Really, it's think about this. You could have the largest ship and cruise liner in the world, but it just takes that little rudder to move it. Correct, Amundo? And so I just want to be that rudder. You can do the rest. And let's just make sure that we're able to groove together. you know, all these things we're talking about, they are related to AI and data because all of this is patterns and recognition and adjustments. And so what's kind of interesting is, do you think you can teach an AI these type of skills from your point of view? https://youtu.be/suG9Kod45DI https://youtube.com/shorts/ZPIHkTowb7Y https://youtube.com/shorts/uT-kpgfBwWc https://youtube.com/shorts/dHb1Y_I1s1I https://youtu.be/gtJ_HlTmhKg https://youtu.be/dgHrVBfPqkM Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ AI & Data Driven Leadership, Dean Guida, 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,trend, trending Dean Guida Tech entrepreneur and CEO Dean Guida knows there’s a limit to what you can build with grit alone. At sixteen, Dean bought the first IBM PC and fell in love with writing software. He went on to receive a bachelor of science degree in operation research from the University of Miami. After graduating, he was a freelance developer and wrote many systems for IBM and on Wall Street. At twenty-three, he started Infragistics to build UX/UI tools for professional software developers. Seemingly overnight, Dean had to go from early internet coder to business operator—a feat that forced him to learn some of business’s biggest lessons on the job. He immediately began navigating the nuances of scaling a company, hiring and growing teams, and becoming a leader, a manager, and a mentor. Fast-forward thirty-six years, and Dean’s tech company now has operations in six countries. More than two million developers use Infragistics software, and its client roster boasts 100 percent of the S&P 500, including Fidelity, Morgan Stanley, Exxon, Intuit, and Bank of America. With over 35 years of experience as a CEO and founder, I am passionate about empowering developers and businesses to build and style immersive user experiences and rich data visualization across all platforms. I lead Infragistics, the world leader in user interface development tools and an expert in user-centered design with a global presence and a loyal customer base. Through my upcoming book "When Grit is Not Enough" and Slingshot, I want to help entrepreneurs/CEOs create agile, data driven learning organizations and win against large funded companies. Ready to take your business to the next level? This book is for you. As an entrepreneur growing your business, how will you respond when things don’t go as planned? How do you keep up with constant technology shifts? How do you successfully scale your teams and strategy as you scale your product? When Grit Is Not Enough is a tactical playbook that has answers to these questions and more. Its lessons show you how to create a strong culture of organizational learning and agility and build high-performing and engaged teams who will thrive in our ever-changing world. This road map will empower you to compete—and win—against heavily funded and resourced competitors. Author and tech CEO Dean Guida, who took his company from a startup to a thriving multinational business, knows well that entrepreneurial grit can only get you so far. Packed with his knowledge from more than three decades of operating in an unforgiving marketplace, When Grit Is Not Enough covers a wide range of topics. Dean Guida - When Grit is not enough The book covers a wide range of topics, including: Creating organizational alignment Setting meaningful measurements and goals Building a data-driven culture Creating a Learning Organization Strategic planning Leadership and coaching Having tough conversations Hiring and retaining valuable team members If you’re an entrepreneur whose hard work and grit have gotten your business off the ground and ready for the next stage, this book will get you there, enhancing your chances of success, happiness, and accomplishment with your company and journey in life. 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/ #AIDataDrivenLeadership #DeanGuida #RichardBlank #CostaRica #CallCenter #Outsourcing #Telemarketing #BPO #Sales #Entrepreneur #B2B #Business #Podcast #Gamification #CEO #trend #trending #listennow #subscribe #podcastclip #podcastvideo #videopodcasting #podcastguest Warrior Psychology & Making an Impression on Calls And I think this is the best bit of advice that I can give to you, because I'll give you a thousand techniques, but let me tell you the psychology of the warrior, not the shield and the sword. I got to give you what gets me on this battlefield. It's a romantic death, jumping a cloud. I can give you the greatest 30 seconds ever. And if I'm completely disqualified, they hang up with me or whatever, I will at least do a company named Spike. AI data-driven leadership podcast. How are you today, you know? And then at least I'll say it better than the Virginia or whoever else answers your phone. And so at least I'm using anonymity to my advantage. It's a first impression. I'm not doing it the whole call that shady. Then you're probably gonna say, who's this compared to, is this a sales call? Why are you calling? Take me off your list. So now let's say it's Richard Blank. And if you say, you know, good morning, this is Dean. I would go, hey Dean, it's Richard Blank. And then it's the double dip. It's to see if you ask who Richard Blank is. And then I'll mention the CEO of Costa Rica's call center. And then you play your odds. Building Trust and the Limits of AI in Business Relationships good friend is what I did in the beginning of your podcast. I sincerely gave a positive escalation to your personal assistant, Virginia, because she was rocking and rolling this morning, making sure everything was perfect. When you do something like that for somebody, it's going to separate me from the 999 other people that have been on your podcast and and have contacted you for business. And so when it comes down to choosing somebody to work with, the contract, the recommendation, you put everything else aside, the prices and stuff, and you say, you know, prior to any sort of money exchange or contract, look what he said about Virginia. Look at the sort of due diligence we did about each other and we're really interested in one another. And I think that's the sort of individual that I could work with long-term because when the going gets tough, I know Richie's not gonna have any surprises. He's gonna give you a phone call and let you know what's happening and then have a game plan. And that's maturity and impulse control. And it was one of the toughest things I had to learn. But these were some of the best lessons I had is the relationships I had with my clients when I had to make that call, Dean. I tell you what, AI can't make that call, Dean. How can AI break news? Unless they're telling you your lights are shut off or your bank's got nothing in it, zero balance. You don't wanna hear that from AI.