Special Global eCommerce Leaders Forum edition live from New York featuring Export Now CEO Frank Lavin, YuJin Yong from MZ Wallace handbags, veteran eCommerce retailer George Hanson and Paul Stein from Purolator

Welcome to a very special Global eCommerce Leaders Forum edition of the Voice of Retail,  I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada and is sponsored by Purolator, Canada’s Shipping Company for courier and freight, learn more at www.purolator.com

In this special edition episode I’m on the road, setting up the Purolator Podcasting Studio in the heart of the Big Apple at GELF where speakers delivered a mix of strategic insights and tactical cross-border To Dos, discussing different market entry and growth models and learning how customer journeys differ country-to-country.  For more information check out https://www.globalecommerceleadersforum.com/

So get ready for an action packed episode with four back to back interviews with experts in global eCommerce, starting with Frank Lavin, CEO of ExportNow.  In government, Frank served as U.S. Ambassador to Singapore and Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade, now helping business understand and launch in the Chinese marketplace.

Then we talk to YuJin Yong, Senior Director of Direct to Consumer at MZ Wallace, a designer, manufacturer and retailer of handbags and fashion accessories.  YuJin  helps us understand the MZ Wallace brand and the important role international retail, including in Canada, plays for this innovative retailer.

Next I’m joined by George Hanson, who shares his perspectives with decades of experience in international eCommerce with brands such as Under Armour where he was VP North America E-Commerce and Retail

Lane Bryant, and Land’s End which included a stint as Interim Managing Director for their Japan business.

Last but not least we hear from Paul Stein, Purolator Account Executive based in New York servicing a thriving trade in international cross border shipping and commerce into the Canadian market.

But first, lets listen to my interview with Frank Lavin

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Thanks to Frank, YuJin, George and Paul for being my guests on this episode, and to GELF founders Jim Okamura, Scott Silverman and Kent Allen for being my generous hosts.

That’s a wrap on this special edition of The Voice of Retail, if you liked this podcast you can subscribe on Apple iTunes or your favourite podcast platform, please rate and review, and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail industry.

I’m Michael LeBlanc, Founder and President of M.E. LeBlanc and Company Inc. and you can learn more about me on www.meleblanc.co or of course on LinkedIn

Until next time, have a great week!

Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. 

Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.

Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.

Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.

Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.