Season III, Episode #4: From Collections to Custom Connect – The Mark Essey Journey

In this episode of Rod's Pod, I sit down with one of South Africa’s most quietly formidable figures in the contact centre and BPO space – Mark Essey, Founder of Debt-IN and Co-Founder of what is now Custom Connect South Africa.We trace Mark’s unconventional career path – from steel yards in Krugersdorp to stockbroking, debt collections, and eventually, the launch of a cross-continental BPO operation. Along the way, he shares the highs, lows, and headwinds that shaped his transition from local debt recovery to running multi-lingual offshore contact centre services for European and US clients.This one’s packed with wisdom for operators, founders, and CX leaders alike:• Navigating the financial realities of launching a BPO• Transitioning from collections to customer service• Language resourcing and nearshore expansion• Compliance, tech stack strategies, and the real role of AI• And why impact sourcing isn't just good policy – it’s good businessWe also reflect on the recent CXOutsourcers Mindshare event in Munich, trade war jitters, and the vital importance of never burning bridges in this industry.Mark’s story is a testament to grit, agility, and finding the human heartbeat in every interaction.linkedin.com/in/[email protected]