The Voice of Retail

Welcome to the The Voice of Retail , I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada.Stephen Poloz, author, economist and former Governor of the Bank of Canada, joins me on this very special episode for an exclusive interview to discuss the launch of his new book, "The Next Age of Uncertainty: How the World Can Adapt to a Riskier Future."Together Stephen and I talk about the major tectonic forces that are shaping a chaotic world. Among these forces are an aging workforce, mounting debt, and rising income inequality. Technological advances are quickening the pace of change, but Poloz argues the core fundamentals have always been there.Stay tuned for the former Governor's perspective on the economic prospects for retailers in 2022, and find out why Captain Jean Luc Pickard makes a cameo appearance in the book.Thanks for tuning into this special episode of The Voice of Retail.  If you haven’t already, be sure and click subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so new episodes will land automatically twice a week, and check out my other retail industry media properties; the Remarkable Retail podcast, the Conversations with CommerceNext podcast, and the Food Professor podcast.  Last but not least, if you are into BBQ, check out my all new YouTube barbecue show, Last Request Barbeque, with new episodes each and every week!I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company & Maven Media, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co!  Have a safe week everyone!About StephenStephen is a widely recognized economist with nearly 40 years of experience in financial markets, forecasting, and economic policy, including 35 years in the public sector.Prior to joining Osler, Stephen was the 9th Governor of the Bank of Canada, Canada’s central bank. Stephen was Governor of the Bank for seven years after having previously spent 14 years there during 1981-95 occupying a range of increasingly senior positions.Prior to joining the Bank of Canada, Stephen spent 14 years at Export Development Canada, as Chief Economist (1999-2008), Head of Lending (2008-2011) and finally as President and CEO (2011-2013). He also spent four years at BCA Research, where he was Managing Editor of the International Bank Credit Analyst, one of their flagship publications.Stephen is a Certified International Trade Professional and a graduate of Columbia University’s Senior Executive Program. He has been a visiting scholar at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C., and at the Economic Planning Agency in Tokyo, Japan. He is a frequent speaker and writer and has taught economics at the University of Western Ontario, Concordia University and Queen’s School of Business.At Osler, Stephen provides clients with his significant expertise and strategic guidance regarding the financial system, trade, and economic policy both domestically and on a global scale. About MichaelMichael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated on thought leadership panels worldwide.  Michael was recently added to ReThink Retail’s prestigious Top 100 Global Retail Influencers for a second year in  2022.Michael is also the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts, including Canada’s top retail industry podcast, The Voice of Retail, plus the Remarkable Retail with author Steve Dennis, Global E-Commerce Tech Talks and The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.  Most recently, Michael launched Conversations with CommerceNext, a podcast focussed on retail eCommerce, digital marketing and retail careers - all available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music and all major podcast platforms.   Michael is also the producer and host of the “Last Request Barbeque” channel on YouTube where he cooks meals to die for and influencer riches. 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. 

Welcome to the The Voice of Retail , I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada.On this special episode a pickup of a livestream presentation of the Leger WOW brand results for 2021.  This seminal research looks across formats and sectors within the retail landscape through the lens of the consumer and highlights both important trends and relative brand performance.I’m joined by Christian Bourque, Executive Vice-President and Senior Partner at Leger in Montreal and Luc Dumont Vice President CPG at Léger based in Toronto.  Together Christian and Luc present their study and the winners in each category.Let’s jump in now as I kick off the livestream with an overview of retail trends followed by a live and interactive discussion on what makes a retail brand remarkable in the modern retail age. Thanks for tuning into this special episode of The Voice of Retail.  If you haven’t already, be sure and click subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so new episodes will land automatically twice a week, and check out my other retail industry media properties; the Remarkable Retail podcast, the Conversations with CommerceNext podcast, and the Food Professor podcast.  Last but not least, if you are into BBQ, check out my all new YouTube barbecue show, Last Request Barbeque, with new episodes each and every week!I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company & Maven Media, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co!  Have a safe week everyone!About ChristianChristian has been with Leger since 1999. He is an executive vice-president and partner and manages the Montreal team of close to thirty researchers.Christian has over 25 years of experience in public opinion and market research in both quantitative and qualitative research. Throughout his career, he has also been an expert witness in front of numerous courts of law where survey evidence is presented. Christian can seamlessly work, moderate, present and engage audiences in both official languages.As a media spokesperson for Leger, he can often be heard commenting on Canadian politics and society. He is also very present on the speaker tour as a captivating storyteller who brings data to life. Christian is also a consumer trend analyst for the CBC and still teaches research methodology at the Université de Montréal.In addition, Christian is a Certified Analytics and Intelligence Professional (CAIP).About LucLuc, Vice-President, CPG, has been part of the Leger team since 2006.He has more than 25 years of experience in quantitative and qualitative market research, notably in customer experience, usability, product development and innovation studies. Luc is a seasoned focus group moderator and, throughout his long career, has been called upon to conduct qualitative research in several countries.His mission is to help Leger clients create and adapt experiential strategies to build customer loyalty and strengthen brand attachment.Luc is also a media spokesperson at Leger for a multitude of topics, including customer journeys, new product research, market studies, brand image and positioning and qualitative research. About MichaelMichael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated on thought leadership panels worldwide.  Michael was recently added to ReThink Retail’s prestigious Top 100 Global Retail Influencers for a second year in  2022.Michael is also the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts, including Canada’s top retail industry podcast, The Voice of Retail, plus the Remarkable Retail with author Steve Dennis, Global E-Commerce Tech Talks and The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.  Most recently, Michael launched Conversations with CommerceNext, a podcast focussed on retail eCommerce, digital marketing and retail careers - all available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music and all major podcast platforms.   Michael is also the producer and host of the “Last Request Barbeque” channel on YouTube where he cooks meals to die for and influencer riches. 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. 

Welcome to the The Voice of Retail , I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada.Jeff Rosenblum launched and leads one of the most innovative brand agencies in the world: Questus.In this episode one of the world’s top advertising executives tells us how iconic brands win new customers and build armies of evangelists, and guides us through to the other side with his new book Exponential: Transform Your Brand by Empowering Instead of InterruptingJeff tells that great brands stand for more than just cool products and clever advertisements. They inspire audiences. They enrich communities. They energize people. They move people’s lives forward.Thanks for tuning into this special episode of The Voice of Retail.  If you haven’t already, be sure and click subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so new episodes will land automatically twice a week, and check out my other retail industry media properties; the Remarkable Retail podcast, the Conversations with CommerceNext podcast, and the Food Professor podcast.  Last but not least, if you are into BBQ, check out my all new YouTube barbecue show, Last Request Barbeque, with new episodes each and every week!I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company & Maven Media, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co!  Have a safe week everyone!About JeffJeff Rosenblum is an advertising agency founder, documentary filmmaker and an admitted pain in the ass. He is widely regarded as one of the leading innovators in the field of digital marketing and has worked on teams that have helped revolutionize market research, publishing, sports broadcasting and interactive advertising.He is the Founding Partner of Questus, a digital marketing agency that has worked with some of the world’s most influential brands including American Express, Bloomberg, Capital One, Discovery Channel, Disney, Driscoll’s, General Mills, Ford, ESPN, Suzuki Motorcycles, The NFL, Universal Orlando, Verizon and more.Jeff was the co-writer and director of a groundbreaking documentary about the future of the advertising industry, The Naked Brand. It revealed the surprising story about the industry’s ability to create breakthrough brands by empowering consumers. In his free time, Jeff is addicted to learning new skills, including telemark skiing, fly fishing, kite surfing, screen writing and funk guitar. His guitar instructor summarizes these efforts best, describing his playing as “mediocre, at best.”When he’s not driving his team and his clients crazy, Jeff is on an Advisory Board for the Make-A-Wish Foundation as well as an Advisory Board for Special Spectators. He and his family built a school in a remote village in Nepal while working with the BuildOn organization. He lives in New York City with his wife and two kids, who are much cooler and better looking then he is.   About MichaelMichael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated on thought leadership panels worldwide.  Michael was recently added to ReThink Retail’s prestigious Top 100 Global Retail Influencers for a second year in  2022.Michael is also the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts, including Canada’s top retail industry podcast, The Voice of Retail, plus the Remarkable Retail with author Steve Dennis, Global E-Commerce Tech Talks and The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.  Most recently, Michael launched Conversations with CommerceNext, a podcast focussed on retail eCommerce, digital marketing and retail careers - all available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music and all major podcast platforms.   Michael is also the producer and host of the “Last Request Barbeque” channel on YouTube where he cooks meals to die for and influencer riches. 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. 

Welcome to the The Voice of Retail , I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada.It’s a complex world of technology, retail alliances with one thing for certain in an uncertain age: agility, computing power, and an eye for innovation, wins.My guest on this episode is Tom Litchford, Head of Worldwide Retail at Amazon Web Services (AWS), a technology that bring the computing horsepower and flexibility to business around the world - but you probably already know that.What you might not know is how AWS fits into the overall Amazon eco-system, and how they are now becoming a strategic vendor to retailers like Best Buy who put aside their traditional competitive frameworks and partner with some of the world’s most powerful computing offerings to drive business results.Thanks for tuning into this special episode of The Voice of Retail.  If you haven’t already, be sure and click subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so new episodes will land automatically twice a week, and check out my other retail industry media properties; the Remarkable Retail podcast, the Conversations with CommerceNext podcast, and the Food Professor podcast.  Last but not least, if you are into Barbeque, check out my all new YouTube barbecue show, Last Request Barbeque, with new episodes each and every week!I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company & Maven Media, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co!  Have a safe week everyone!About Tom LitchfordAs head of worldwide business development for the retail industry, Tom Litchford leads and manages AWS' industry strategy including marketing and sales enablement, channel development, and solution offerings required to address customers' business requirements and challenges.Litchford has more than 35 years of experience in systems engineering, sales, product management and marketing of technology business solutions for the retail and hospitality industries. Prior to joining AWS in 2017, most recently he led the National Retail Federation's (NRF) technology communities and its cybersecurity program. Prior to NRF, he served in various roles with notable technology firms including Microsoft and NCR.Litchford was instrumental in driving the development of the OPOS application program interface (API) set – now a defacto industry standard for point-of-sale application-to-peripheral connectivity. Working with organizations such as ARTS and NAFEM, he has also been influential in establishing XML messaging standards in the retail and foodservices sectors. About MichaelMichael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated on thought leadership panels worldwide.  Michael was recently added to ReThink Retail’s prestigious Top 100 Global Retail Influencers for a second year in  2022.Michael is also the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts, including Canada’s top retail industry podcast, The Voice of Retail, plus the Remarkable Retail with author Steve Dennis, Global E-Commerce Tech Talks and The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.  Most recently, Michael launched Conversations with CommerceNext, a podcast focussed on retail eCommerce, digital marketing and retail careers - all available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music and all major podcast platforms.   Michael is also the producer and host of the “Last Request Barbeque” channel on YouTube where he cooks meals to die for and influencer riches.  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. 

Welcome to the The Voice of Retail , I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada.From Scott Galloway to Carl Boutet to Steve Dennis, savvy business leaders and retail industry thought leaders agree on one thing: the COVID era was the great acceleration of eCommerce.  Best estimate: Canada stepped into a pandemic time tunnel and came out the other end five online years later.This year, retailers, big and small, are starting off once again with some degree of uncertainty as a result of the evolving pandemic. One thing we do know is that Canadians are now comfortable and savvy online shoppers. In fact, a 2021 PayPal Canada study, titled “Trends & Spends” found Canadians across the country are spending about $2-billion more a month online.My guest on this episode of The Voice of Retail has a front seat to the past, present and future of eCommerce and payments: Mike Monty, PayPal Canada’s head of enterprise sales.  And he joins me in this exclusive interview to share the insightsPayPal Canada large enterprise landing page: https://www.paypal.ca/enterpriseMike’s LinkedIn profile: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/mike-monty-14a7227PayPal Canada’s RCC article on 5 tips for retailers: https://www.retailcouncil.org/industry-news/five-tips-for-retailers-heading-into-the-new-year/PayPal Canada small business study on digital transformation: https://newsroom.ca.paypal-corp.com/SmallBusinessStudy2020PayPal Canada trends and spends study: https://newsroom.ca.paypal-corp.com/Trends-SpendsThanks for tuning into this special episode of The Voice of Retail.  If you haven’t already, be sure and click subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so new episodes will land automatically twice a week, and check out my other retail industry media properties; the Remarkable Retail podcast, the Conversations with CommerceNext podcast, and the Food Professor podcast.  Last but not least, if you are into Barbeque, check out my all new YouTube barbecue show, Last Request Barbeque, with new episodes each and every week!I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company & Maven Media, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co!  Have a safe week everyone!About Mike MontyAs a successful, self-made entrepreneur, Mike Monty knows what it takes to not only get a business off the ground but to have it make a mark on the industry. Today, Mike puts his wisdom into practice as PayPal Canada’s head of enterprise sales, where he is focused on helping Canadian retailers and businesses grow and maximize their opportunities in the digital economy within our borders and internationally. With more than 20 years of experience in the technology and payments industry as an entrepreneur, senior leader and avid investor, Mike is a skilled leader who can masterfully navigate a business restructuring and expertly elevate a company’s performance. He excels at helping companies go-to-market, grow, and scale.As an investor and part of the leadership team in Hyperwallet, Mike played an integral part in PayPal’s acquisition of the online payout platform.  In addition to his own business venture, Mike has been fortunate to learn from and be a part of the journey of other captains of industry such as IBM, FICO and now PayPal.A citizen of the world, Mike was born and raised in South Africa before moving to Singapore for 14 years, spending a few years in Thailand before settling down in Vancouver in 2013 with his family. He credits his business acumen to his travels, and the understanding he gained that a diverse culture, open communication, continual evolution and empowered people are what make companies thrive.  About MichaelMichael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated on thought leadership panels worldwide.  Michael was recently added to ReThink Retail’s prestigious Top 100 Global Retail Influencers for a second year in  2022.Michael is also the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts, including Canada’s top retail industry podcast, The Voice of Retail, plus the Remarkable Retail with author Steve Dennis, Global E-Commerce Tech Talks and The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.  Most recently, Michael launched Conversations with CommerceNext, a podcast focussed on retail eCommerce, digital marketing and retail careers - all available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music and all major podcast platforms.   Michael is also the producer and host of the “Last Request Barbeque” channel on YouTube where he cooks meals to die for and influencer riches. 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. 

Welcome to the The Voice of Retail , I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada.Heading into the third year and 5th wave of the pandemic, facets of the retail landscape continue to play catch-up with rapidly evolving consumer behaviour and brand strategy.So, in this episode, let’s take a moment to refresh our look at the latest trends that are influencing consumers and brands in the ongoing COVID era.Jackie Cooper, Global Chief Brand Officer and Senior Advisor at Edelman, joins me from across the pond in London for today’s deep dive on The Voice of Retail.Jackie stands on years of entrepreneurial experience in global brand, creative and business strategy and calls on her work to guide us through a reality check on the evolution of retail marketing in the post-pandemic world.Thanks for tuning into this special episode of The Voice of Retail.  If you haven’t already, be sure and click subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so new episodes will land automatically twice a week, and check out my other retail industry media properties; the Remarkable Retail podcast, the Conversations with CommerceNext podcast, and the Food Professor podcast.  Last but not least, if you are into Barbeque, check out my all new YouTube barbecue show, Last Request Barbeque, with new episodes each and every week!I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company & Maven Media, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co!  Have a safe week everyone! About Jackie CooperEntrepreneur, brand and reputation strategist, protector and promoter for noteworthy individuals, business and causes.  Special interest in the intersection of brand, culture, entertainment, and impact.  NED for Jamie Oliver, Trustee for Grow, a children’s teaching programme on food & nutrition, Advisor for start-up brand business.Jackie currently oversees the business of brand at Edelman, a global communications firm that partners with businesses and organizations to evolve, promote and protect their brands and reputations. With over 6,000 people in more than 60 offices delivering communications strategies around the world, she leads a global brand network that creates integrated campaigns for commercial and purposeful impact.In 1987 she co-founded PR & Marketing agency JCPR,  awarded for cultural impactful campaigns including the launch of O2, Wonderbra, Mary Kate & Ashley, PlayStation, Wembley Stadium and the final flight for Concorde. JCPR was acquired by Edelman in 2004 and Jackie served as Creative Director on campaigns including Dove’s Campaign for Real Beauty, Dirt is Good for Omo/Unilever and the Halo launch for Xbox. She then became Global Creative Chair, joining the Executive Committee and establishing the firm’s formal creative offering, building a global community of 650 creatives, planners and production talent. She led Edelman’s debut at Cannes and overseeing the firm’s first foray into entering the Lions, garnered 65 awards within the first 3 years.Jackie ensures that brands nail their potential via seamless multi-stakeholder, omni-channel campaigns, driven by the agency’s extensive resource across data, insight, innovation & creative ideation. She continues to work with high profile names who have achieved fame, ensuring they are protected, while helping them establish the foundations for a compelling business and legacy.Jackie became the first woman to be inducted into the PR Week UK Hall of Fame in 2018 and is an industry mentor.  She is married with two grown up daughters.About MichaelMichael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated on thought leadership panels worldwide.  Michael was recently added to ReThink Retail’s prestigious Top 100 Global Retail Influencers for a second year in  2022.Michael is also the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts, including Canada’s top retail industry podcast, The Voice of Retail, plus the Remarkable Retail with author Steve Dennis, Global E-Commerce Tech Talks and The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.  Most recently, Michael launched Conversations with CommerceNext, a podcast focussed on retail eCommerce, digital marketing and retail careers - all available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music and all major podcast platforms.   Michael is also the producer and host of the “Last Request Barbeque” channel on YouTube where he cooks meals to die for and influencer riches. 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. 

Welcome to the The Voice of Retail , I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada.Daniel Pink believes that regret is our most misunderstood emotion.In his quest to reclaim the power of regret as a force for good, Dan has written a breakthrough book that speaks to regret as a key component of human existence - an emotion that prompts us to look backwards in order to clarify how we want to move forwards.Today on The Voice of Retail, I talk with Dan about his own relationship to regret, what inspired him to study this tumultuous emotion and some of the key research points and insights from his latest book, The Power of Regret: How Looking Backward Moves Us Forward.Stay tuned for insights on reconnecting with regret and what we can learn from the 16,000 regrets that people from all over the world submitted to Dan’s online platform. Thanks for tuning into this special episode of The Voice of Retail.  If you haven’t already, be sure and click subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so new episodes will land automatically twice a week, and check out my other retail industry media properties; the Remarkable Retail podcast, the Conversations with CommerceNext podcast, and the Food Professor podcast.  Last but not least, if you are into Barbeque, check out my all new YouTube barbecue show, Last Request Barbeque, with new episodes each and every week!I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company & Maven Media, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co!  Have a safe week everyone! About Daniel PinkDaniel H. Pink is the author of several provocative, bestselling books about business, work, creativity, and behavior.His books include:When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing unlocks the scientific secrets to good timing to help you flourish at work, at school, and at home. When spent four months on the New York Times bestseller list. It was also a Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestseller. Several outlets (including Amazon, iBooks, and Goodreads) named it one of the best non-fiction books of 2018.  It is being translated into 33 languages.To Sell is Human: The Surprising Truth About Moving Others, which uses social science to offer a fresh look at the art and science of sales. To Sell is Human was a #1 bestseller on the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Washington Post lists and has been translated into 34 languages. More than a dozen outlets, from Amazon.com to The Washington Post, selected it as one of the best books of the year. It also won the American Marketing Association’s Berry Book Prize as the year’s best book on marketing.Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us, which draws on 50 years of behavioral science to overturn the conventional wisdom about human motivation. Along with being a Wall Street Journal, Boston Globe, Los Angeles Times, San Francisco Chronicle, and Publishers Weekly bestseller, Drive spent 159 weeks on the New York Times (main and extended) bestseller lists. A national bestseller in Japan and the United Kingdom, the book has been translated into 40 languages.A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, which charts the rise of right-brain thinking in modern economies and describes the six abilities individuals and organizations must master in an outsourced, automated age. A Whole New Mind was on the New York Times (main and extended) bestseller lists for 96 weeks over four years. It has been a Freshman Read at several U.S. colleges and universities. In 2008, Oprah Winfrey gave away 4,500 copies of the book to Stanford University’s graduating class when she was the school’s commencement speaker.The Adventures of Johnny Bunko: The Last Career Guide You’ll Ever Need, the first American business book in the Japanese comic format known as manga and the only graphic novel ever to become a BusinessWeek bestseller. Illustrated by award-winning artist Rob Ten Pas, The Adventures of Johnny Bunko was named an American Library Association best graphic novel for teens.Free Agent Nation: The Future of Working for Yourself, a Washington Post bestseller that Publishers Weekly says “has become a cornerstone of employee-management relations.” In 2013, the U.S. Department of Labor and the Library of Congress selected Free Agent Nation as one of 100 Books That Shaped Work in America.Pink was host and co-executive producer of “Crowd Control,” a television series about human behavior on the National Geographic Channel that aired in more than 100 countries. He has appeared frequently on NPR, PBS, ABC, CNN, and other TV and radio networks in the US and abroad.He has been a contributing editor at Fast Company and Wired as well as a business columnist for The Sunday Telegraph. His articles and essays have also appeared in The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, The New Republic, Slate, and other publications. He was also a Japan Society Media fellow in Tokyo, where he studied the country’s massive comic industry.Before venturing out on his own 20 years ago, Dan worked in several positions in politics and government, including serving from 1995 to 1997 as chief speechwriter to Vice President Al Gore.He received a BA from Northwestern University, where he was a Truman Scholar and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa, and a JD from Yale Law School. He has also received honorary doctorates from Georgetown University, the Pratt Institute, the Ringling College of Art and Design, the University of Indianapolis, and Westfield State University.Pink and his wife live in Washington, DC. They are the parents of two recent college graduates and a college freshman.Buy the book:   https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-power-of-regret-how/9780735210653-item.html?ikwid=the+power+of+regret&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0#algoliaQueryId=6502f49431a758699c7276ecce7d1ae6Our previous interview on The Voice of Retail :  https://the-voice-of-retail.simplecast.com/episodes/tal-zvi-nathanel-ceo-of-showfields-and-dan-pink-nyt-best-selling-author-share-their-insights-on-retail-experience-working-and-adapting-in-the-covid-19-ear About MichaelMichael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated on thought leadership panels worldwide.  Michael was recently added to ReThink Retail’s prestigious Top 100 Global Retail Influencers for a second year in  2022. Michael is also the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts, including Canada’s top retail industry podcast, The Voice of Retail, plus the Remarkable Retail with author Steve Dennis, Global E-Commerce Tech Talks and The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.  Most recently, Michael launched Conversations with CommerceNext, a podcast focussed on retail eCommerce, digital marketing and retail careers - all available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music and all major podcast platforms.   Michael is also the producer and host of the “Last Request Barbeque” channel on YouTube where he cooks meals to die for and influencer riches. 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. 

Welcome to the The Voice of Retail , I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada.UK-based eyewear brand, Specsavers, has kicked off a $10 million investment in Canadian marketing alongside a roadmap to opening 200 stores across the country.Today on The Voice of Retail, grab your reading glasses for this close-up look at Specsavers’ strategy to enter the Canadian market. I sit down with the company’s General Manager & Executive Vice President, Bill Moir to talk about the big news. Bill offers insight on the company’s decision, how they plan to enter an already saturated North American market and how their marketing mix and powerful business model is ready to take on the challenge and improve Canadian eye care at the same time.Thanks for tuning into this special episode of The Voice of Retail.  If you haven’t already, be sure and click subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so new episodes will land automatically twice a week, and check out my other retail industry media properties; the Remarkable Retail podcast, the Conversations with CommerceNext podcast, and the Food Professor podcast.  Last but not least, if you are into Barbeque, check out my all new YouTube barbecue show, Last Request Barbeque, with new episodes each and every week!I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company & Maven Media, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co!  Have a safe week everyone! About Bill MoirMarketing / Ecommerce / Commercial specialist in consumer facing organisations focussed on: customer proposition development; business growth; turnaround; go-to-market strategies; marketing effectiveness; digital transformation.PROFILEFifteen years’ Executive Board experience, in marketing, ecommerce and commercial roles, incorporating over 20 years multichannel retail expertise. Instigated and directed change programmes to: introduce multichannel customer experiences and launch products globally; double advertising and brand recognition; increase repeat purchases by 80% and ROI by 40%. Used commercial acumen and customer insight to double market share and turned around business areas to restore market share growth. Applied a flexible leadership style to build high performance teams.Specialties: Leadership, trading, retail, customer insights, marketing, ecommerce, advertising, branding and identity, CRM, purchasing / buying, negotiation, social media marketing, team development, merchandising; customer proposition development; business growth; turnaround; go-to-market strategies; marketing effectiveness; digital transformation.To find out more about business opportunities at Specsavers visit spectrum-specsavers.ca or contact the partnership team at enquiries.ca@specsavers.comYou can register for one of the upcoming information sessions in February at https://specsavers-spectrum.ca/info-session/. Retail professionals will be taken through the business ownership model and benefits in detail.If you’d like to link up with Bill Moir directly then you can at linkedin.com/in/billmoir1 About MichaelMichael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated on thought leadership panels worldwide.  Michael was recently added to ReThink Retail’s prestigious Top 100 Global Retail Influencers for a second year in  2022. Michael is also the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts, including Canada’s top retail industry podcast, The Voice of Retail, plus the Remarkable Retail with author Steve Dennis, Global E-Commerce Tech Talks and The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.  Most recently, Michael launched Conversations with CommerceNext, a podcast focussed on retail eCommerce, digital marketing and retail careers - all available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music and all major podcast platforms.   Michael is also the producer and host of the “Last Request Barbeque” channel on YouTube where he cooks meals to die for and influencer riches. 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. 

Welcome to the The Voice of Retail , I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada.Welcome to a special NRF Big Show 2022 bonus episode of podcast, one of a series of exclusive interviews produced to support the show, the vendors and industry thought leaders  heading into the new year.  This episode: Melissa Wong, CEO & Co-Founder, Zipline. These bonus episodes all follow a similar format: first, we learn about my guest and the company they work for, and what they are talking about to retailers at the Big Show this year, second, based on their experience, knowledge and conversations with retail clients, two starts and one stop advice for retailers listening.  And last, but not least, where you can go to learn more.  Alright, let’s jump right in.Thanks for tuning into this special episode of The Voice of Retail.  If you haven’t already, be sure and click subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so new episodes will land automatically twice a week, and check out my other retail industry media properties; the Remarkable Retail podcast, the Conversations with CommerceNext podcast, and the Food Professor podcast.  Last but not least, if you are into Barbeque, check out my all new YouTube barbecue show, Last Request Barbeque, with new episodes each and every week!I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company & Maven Media, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co!  Have a safe week everyone!Check out this great interview with David that goes deeper into NCR:  https://the-voice-of-retail.simplecast.com/episodes/the-heartbeat-of-the-storeAbout MelissaCEO and Co-founder of Zipline -- the leading operations platform for field teams that enables brands to deliver transformational store experiences through engaged employees, consistent execution and fast feedback.Our mission is to transform how retail operates by making it easier for employees to get their job done. We are bringing the ease of use of consumer technology to the enterprise so that retail associates are more informed, field teams (finally) have effective and easy-to-use tools that automate and coordinate work, and HQ has an easier way to achieve consistent execution and rollouts in stores. We ensure retailers are able to deliver on their brand promise to customers in-store and deliver an amazing experience in any location.Today, tens of thousands of stores and hundreds of thousands of users around the world trust, and love, Zipline to streamline their operations and improve their businesses. Customers include Gap Inc, Warby Parker, Sephora, LEGO, AEO Inc., O’Reilly, 7-eleven, Hy-Vee and more.My decade of experience in retail is specifically focused on how to achieve consistent execution in stores. My work focused on how to best enable organizations to move faster through engaged & inspired field teams, communicate best practices for HQ and field operations, and develop technologies and processes in response to business goals, field feedback and industry pressure.I am a Silver Stevie Women in Business award winner, a Tech Trailblazer finalist, and a RIS Retail Industry Mover and Shaker. Under my leadership, Zipline has achieved a Net Promoter Score of 72, was included in the Inc. 5000's list of fastest-growing private companies, and received an honorable mention in Fast Company for World-Changing Ideas. CBInsights ranked Zipline as one of the 100 most promising B2B retail tech companies in the world and Zipline is Great Place to Work-Certified. About MichaelMichael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated on thought leadership panels worldwide.  Michael was recently added to ReThink Retail’s prestigious Top 100 Global Retail Influencers list for 2021. Michael is also the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts, including Canada’s top retail industry podcast, The Voice of Retail, plus the Remarkable Retail with author Steve Dennis, Global E-Commerce Tech Talks and The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.  Most recently, Michael launched Conversations with CommerceNext, a podcast focussed on retail eCommerce, digital marketing and retail careers - all available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music and all major podcast platforms.   Michael is also the producer and host of the “Last Request Barbeque” channel on YouTube where he cooks meals to die for and influencer riches. Photo credit: National Retail Federation. 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. 

Welcome to the The Voice of Retail , I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada.Marc Saltzman is a self-proclaimed technology evangelist. As a super popular and respected freelance journalist for over 25 publications including USA Today and Costco Connection Magazine, Marc covers innovation in consumer tech and translates what he calls ‘geek speak’ into ‘street speak.’Today on The Voice of Retail, I catch up with Marc and we get the scoop on the latest trends in consumer technology. First, Marc gives a highlight reel of the recent CES conference - a show that has been the global stage for technology innovation for over 50 years. Then, we look at what to expect this year in the tech and electronics retail space.Thanks for tuning into this special episode of The Voice of Retail.  If you haven’t already, be sure and click subscribe on your favourite podcast platform so new episodes will land automatically twice a week, and check out my other retail industry media properties; the Remarkable Retail podcast, the Conversations with CommerceNext podcast, and the Food Professor podcast.  Last but not least, if you are into Barbeque, check out my all new YouTube barbecue show, Last Request Barbeque, with new episodes each and every week!I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company & Maven Media, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co!  Have a safe week everyone!AboutMarc Saltzman has reported on the high-tech industry since 1996 as a freelance journalist, author, lecturer, consultant, and radio and TV personality.His specialties lie in consumer electronics, computers, Internet trends and social media, business tech, interactive entertainment, and future trends.Along with his weekly syndicated column with Gannett and USAToday.com, Marc currently contributes to more than 30 prominent publications, including USA Today (the most read newspaper in the U.S.), Yahoo, Costco Connection (U.S. and Canada), MSN, Toronto Star, Metro, Media Planet, WatchMojo, Rogers Connected, Common Sense Media, and Homefront.Marc Saltzman was one of the first journalists in the world to break open the MP3 phenomenon in late 1997 on CNN.com. He correctly predicted this controversial audio file format would revolutionize the recording industry.Marc has written 16 books. His latest is Apple Watch For Dummies (Wiley).Marc also writes and hosts "Gear Guide," a technology-focused video that runs nationally across Canada at Cineplex Entertainment movie theaters. It is seen by a "captive" 7 million people per month.Marc is also a frequent guest on CNN, Headline News, FOX, Global and CTV. Marc has also made appearances on NBC's "Today Show," QVC's Saturday Q" and the "CBS Early Show."Marc is one of the busier public speakers on the circuit, covering a wide range of keynote topics including the future, tech and education, how tech is changing retail, fintech trends, keeping kids safe in the digital age, STEM studies, and more.Finally, Marc also hosts 5 radio shows. "Tech It Out" is syndicated to 248 stations in the U.S. via the Radio America network. In Canada, there's "Tech Talk with Marc Saltzman," a weekly hour-long program on Toronto's NewsTalk 1010 (Bell Media), Montreal's CJAD 800 (Bell Media), and Winnipeg's 680 CJOB (Corus).www.marcsaltzman.comtech@marcsaltzman.com About MichaelMichael is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. He has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions with C-level executives and participated on thought leadership panels worldwide.  Michael was recently added to ReThink Retail’s prestigious Top 100 Global Retail Influencers for a second year in  2022. Michael is also the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts, including Canada’s top retail industry podcast, The Voice of Retail, plus the Remarkable Retail with author Steve Dennis, Global E-Commerce Tech Talks and The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.  Most recently, Michael launched Conversations with CommerceNext, a podcast focussed on retail eCommerce, digital marketing and retail careers - all available on Apple, Spotify, Amazon Music and all major podcast platforms.   Michael is also the producer and host of the “Last Request Barbeque” channel on YouTube where he cooks meals to die for and influencer riches.   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.