Returning to the company you founded sounds like a victory lap.
Except, it wasn’t.
In this episode of Scaling Without Breaking, host Roland Siebelink sits down with Erki Koldits, founder of Kontaktikeskus, who once scaled the company from 25 to 250 employees — making it the largest call center in the Baltics.
Then he stepped away.
Years later, he received the call no founder wants: the company had become a rudderless ship.
So Erki returned.
Not to preserve the past.
But to rebuild the company from scratch.
No protecting outdated processes. No maintaining comfortable leadership structures. No accepting “this is how we’ve always done it.”
Instead, Erki started breaking things.
Processes. Management layers. Bureaucracy.
Because sometimes the only way to transform a company is to dismantle the systems that are holding it back.
In this conversation, Roland and Erki explore what it takes when a founder returns to rescue a business and implement effective company turnaround strategies.
They also discuss how AI transformation in call centers, automation, and new operating models could reshape the telemarketing industry.
Key Discussion Points
00:00 – Why Erki wasn’t surprised when he returned 02:25 – The risks of leadership staying too long in one company 04:43 – Why breaking systems can unlock growth 07:00 – Eliminating bureaucracy and unnecessary processes 08:25 – Why human calls may outperform AI-driven outreach 10:49 – The telemarketing CPO model and incentive alignment 12:10 – Using call transcripts and AI insights to generate new revenue 14:04 – Why human connection still matters in an AI world 15:52 – Why large companies are now moving like startups 17:42 – The emerging role of CEOs as builders and rapid prototypers
For founders, operators, and leaders thinking about workforce optimization automation, AI disruption, or business reinvention, this episode offers a candid look at what real transformation requires.
👍 Like if this changed how you think about company turnarounds 🔔 Subscribe for more honest conversations about growth 💬 Comment with your biggest takeaway 🔗 Share this with someone leading a business transformation
#ScalingWithoutBreaking #CompanyTurnaroundStrategies #FounderReturnsToRescueBusiness #AITransformationCallCenter #TelemarketingCPOModel #WorkforceOptimizationAutomation #StartupLeadership #FounderMindset
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