Endeavor Founder Stories | Episode 8: Candice Roberts, CEO and Founder of CallForce Outsourcing Specialists.

Building Dignity into Outsourcing

From HR to Entrepreneurship

Candice Roberts did not set out to build a global outsourcing business. Her early career began in HR at Standard Bank, where she was thrust into leadership at a young age. By 21, she was running an HR division.

But her entrepreneurial instinct was always there. After moving into recruitment, she noticed something that did not sit right with her. Candidates, many applying for their first jobs, were being processed quickly and impersonally. For people spending their last money to attend interviews, the experience felt transactional rather than human.

That discomfort became the catalyst. She believed there had to be a more dignified way to bring people into contact centres and corporate life.

When the opportunity arose to run her own venture with majority ownership, she took it. That decision led to the founding of CallForce Outsourcing Specialists in Cape Town, with a simple but powerful idea: build a people-first outsourcing business grounded in respect, structure, and opportunity.

Navigating Complexity and Scaling Globally

The early years were not linear. Ownership structures shifted. The 2008 recession reshaped the landscape. At one point, Candice had to buy back a majority share in her own business and rebuild with the right long-term partners.

Her journey with Endeavor South Africa became a turning point. Through mentorship, exposure to global programs, and strategic guidance, she reimagined the company’s future.

What began as HR outsourcing evolved into full business process outsourcing. Instead of thinking in small contracts, she began asking: could 10 seats become 1,000? Could one client translate into thousands of jobs?

Today, CallForce supports global organisations across industries, combining operational systems with a deeply human culture.

Leadership, Impact, and the Long Game

For Candice, leadership has been forged in moments of uncertainty. She speaks openly about leading without always having the answers, about balancing collaboration with decisive action, and about the weight of knowing that every strategic decision affects real livelihoods.

Seventy percent of CallForce’s workforce are women, many of them primary breadwinners. Growth, in her view, is not just about revenue. It is about jobs, families, and long-term opportunity.

She is equally deliberate about sustainability. As both CEO and mother of three, she treats work–life balance as a discipline. Switching off, being fully present, and returning with renewed focus is part of how she has sustained momentum for over 25 years.

Candice’s story is proof that a business built in South Africa can scale globally without losing its human core. Innovation, in her case, was not about technology first. It was about dignity, resilience, and the courage to build something better.