A One in a Million Story from Northeast Philly.

Procrastinator's Pitstop. Host Chris Abdey and CEO Richard Blank discuss Procrastination to Purpose. Procrastinator's Pitstop: Your Place to Refuel for Motivation and Productivity. Join us as we explore actionable strategies, inspiring stories, and expert insights to help you overcome procrastination and power through your to-do list. Let's turn every pitstop into progress! In this engaging conversation, Richard Blank, CEO of Costa Rica's Call Center, shares his insights on procrastination, personal growth, and the importance of communication. He discusses his journey from Northeast Philadelphia to Costa Rica, the challenges he faced in adapting to a new culture, and how he inspires his team to grow. Richard emphasizes the significance of creating a positive work environment and the art of effective communication, all while sharing his passion for restoring pinball machines. Take Aways -Procrastination is a self-reflection of missed opportunities. -Commitment to oneself is key to overcoming procrastination. -Cultural adaptation requires patience and respect. -Staying healthy is essential for productivity. -Teaching others can be a rewarding experience. -Creating a fun work environment reduces attrition. -Effective communication is an art that can be mastered. -Personal connections enhance professional relationships. -Passion projects, like pinball machines, bring joy and fulfillment. -Empathy in leadership fosters loyalty and growth. Adapting to Costa Rica: A Transformative Experience Looking left and right, not knowing anybody. Not being familiar with my surroundings or the timing of things. Long lines and, you know, I guess recharging your patience. You can't be the loud gringo. You don't want to be that guy. You don't want to start dropping F-bombs and screaming at people. I'm a guest in this country. And in order not to get beat up in Boys Town at 3 in the morning doing stupid things, I wanted to respect the laws and the people here and really understand the culture. It's a rebirth again. Why not? And we're very close to the United States. We're on the same time zone. It's a democratic society here. That's nice. I didn't feel threatened. The infrastructure is good. Good enough. You know, you still got to look for the holes in the streets when you're driving. And you're just accustomed to the life here. It's more laid back. But then again, you have to be on your toes and be resourceful. Why not? Have a different taste in life. And so as long as you can balance that with the comforts to things that make you uncomfortable, inconveniences, weigh the options. And so for me, it's weird, man. You woke up every day and it was very lucid. extremely bright and vivid everything was sharper and louder you know when they say stop and smell the roses you could live in the same town take the same train and you don't see anything it's my first time i'm pointing red roofs out down here i've never looked at everything and anything with such intensity before how how enjoyable was that it was fresh everything So I was just swept up in it. Buying Pinball Machines: A Passionate Endorsement If you really find your passion, by all means, get yourself a beautiful pinball machine to put in your house. You'll be the most popular person in the name. I love that. You know what? I think you've sold me. I'm going to go and look for some pinball machines. I know up here and I know in the U.S. too. I've seen them. You can buy them at a state auction sometimes or you can get them at, like you said, different arcades. Actually, Truck Stop. I saw Truck Stop was selling one recently actually for... I think it was about 500 bucks, but still. Exploring Employee Retention Challenges Sure, all's well that ends well, fair in love and war. You then be, you're known as a jumper. Sometimes people do put that on a blacklist and it's not to mark you, but man, we put a ton of money in you. At least preventative measures could have you spoken to me three times prior to quitting. Did you even give us a two weeks notice? So at least we can transition in and out. So as a business owner, because a lot of your audience own companies and are entrepreneurs, and a lot of us have also worked for companies. And I understand the worker. This place sucks. I'm out of here giving them the bird. You know, it's take this job sort of attitude. But then there's others that try to scale and grow. And do the right thing. And spend their own money. And hedge their bet. Because we're hoping that after three months. You might produce a grand for the company. And then after let's say four, five, six thousand dollars of an investment. It's gone. And I didn't even get a chance to recoup that. So those are the sort of hits that companies take too. Richard's Resonation with Fritz the Cat And I'm excited to dive into that, but we do like to have a little icebreaker on the show. And the question for you today is, which cartoon character do you resonate the most with and why? 1972 cartoon Fritz the Cat. Ralph Baschke. Albert Crone. Absolutely. Absolutely. The dreamer, a little bit of the wild side, but still had his innocence. Anyway, it was a very groundbreaking cartoon, which led the way to a sequel, The Nine Lies of Fritz the Cat. So he was good enough to make another. And anyway, I always thought that was a fun movie to throw in at a party. https://youtu.be/TEWjig764Og https://youtu.be/jmcE4y5QK1g https://youtu.be/83xKp-KatRo https://youtu.be/XqCwlJFrbZ4 https://youtu.be/tn8MTac7Fds Richard Blank hired bassist Garry Gary Beers of INXS. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieGjN5H4xPQ Procrastinators Pitstop, Chris Abdey, 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 Empower. Inspire. Achieve Your Goals. Chris Abdey As a Procrastination Coach, my mission is to help you break free from procrastination, unlock your full potential, and take meaningful action toward a life aligned with your values. I believe that everyone has the capacity to overcome limiting beliefs and make lasting changes to lead a productive and fulfilling life. Conquering Procrastination, Building Momentum Procrastination often stands between us and our true potential. It can hold us back from achieving goals, managing time effectively, or pursuing the projects we care about. My coaching approach centers on practical, results-driven strategies to overcome these barriers and keep you moving forward. Your Path to Success: The Goal-Getter Programs I offer targeted coaching options to meet you where you are and keep you on the path to success: Goal-Getter Momentum Program: A powerful monthly program that combines short, daily check-ins with weekly deep dives to build consistent momentum. This progr