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.It’s true, the resale trend is here to stay - but it doesn’t look like the resale retail spaces we might be thinking of. Departing from dusty consignment-style stores, the resale space has a new look and feel. The founder of Mine & Yours, Courtney Watkins, talks about riding the rising wave of luxury fashion resale.In this episode, Courtney and I talk about her unique origin story and she carved a space for herself in the fashion industry she loves. She shares her insights on navigating e-commerce with such fluid and unique stock, engaging with buyers and sellers, and building a strong online and in-person community. ]********Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of The Voice of Retail.  Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss out on the latest episodes, industry news, and insights. If you enjoyed  this episode please consider leaving a rating and review, as it really helps us grow so that we can continue getting amazing guests on the show.I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co! Courtney Watkins           From her earliest memories of playing dress-up in her mother’s closet, Courtney has always loved fashion and finding creative ways to showcase her style for less. Courtney got her start in fashion at only 17- pursuing a degree in Merchandise Marketing in Los Angeles. From working as a celebrity stylist to a trend forecaster, she got her entrepreneurial start running a Saw Mill. Watkins then went on to create a company that values sustainability, interpersonal relationships and luxury fashion. Courtney thought what better way to give second hand fashion a second home and enable women to feel confident in their clothing- for a fraction of retail price! Today, she gets to combine her love of luxury, business, and styling though revolutionizing resale at Canada's fastest growing retail + ecommerce store, Mine & Yours.  Michael LeBlanc  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.  Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada’s top retail industry podcast,       The Voice of Retail, plus        Global E-Commerce Tech Talks  and       The Food Professor  with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois.  You can learn more about Michael       here  or on       LinkedIn.  Until next time, stay safe and have a great week! The Voice of Retail podcast is presented by Hale, a performance marketing partner trusted by brands like ASICS, Saje, and Orangetheory to scale with focus and impact. 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.Tim Mason is the CEO of Eagle Eye, an information technology firm that uses a data-driven digital marketing platform to enable retailers to connect all aspects of the customer journey.As the former deputy CEO & CMO of Tesco in the U.K., Tim calls on his own background in retail as he works with big clients all over the world.In this episode of The Voice of Retail podcast, Tim is back on the podcast to share his insights on how the retail landscape has and will continue to shift because of the pandemic.Tune in to hear what Tim believes are the three essential elements for building a successful digital retail ecosystem, the top three things that retailers should be looking out for in the years following the pandemic, and finally, the three things that retailers should stop/start in their marketing practices. Can you tell that we believe in the power of three’s? ******** Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of The Voice of Retail.  Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss out on the latest episodes, industry news, and insights. If you enjoyed  this episode please consider leaving a rating and review, as it really helps us grow so that we can continue getting amazing guests on the show.I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co! Until next time, stay safe and have a great week! Tim MasonTim has been CEO of Eagle Eye since September 2016, joining as Chairman in January 2016. He has over 30 years’ experience within the grocery and retail industries, with a strong background in strategic marketing and customer loyalty.Previously, Tim was a managing director at Sun Capital Partners and Chairman of Bonmarché Holdings plc from 2013 to 2015. Prior to that he was Deputy CEO at Tesco from January 2010 to December 2012. He held a number of other roles within the Tesco Group between 1982 and 2012 including CMO for Tesco and CEO of Fresh & Easy LLC. Tim spearheaded Tesco’s bid to crack America, and was responsible for the expansion and operations of 150 stores US wide.Throughout his career at Tesco, he was renowned for being in touch with the customer, and instrumental in the creation of some of Tesco’s most successful marketing initiatives (Clubcard, Express, Personal Finance and Tesco.com). He is also a Director of It's Fresh Ltd and Purple. The Voice of Retail podcast is presented by Hale, a performance marketing partner trusted by brands like ASICS, Saje, and Orangetheory to scale with focus and impact. 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 I am thrilled to be sharing with you my interview with  Universal Standard Co-founder and Canadian retailer Alexandra Waldman with a special Conversations with CommerceNext podcast edition of The Voice of Retail. I launched Conversations with CommerceNext podcast with my partners CommerceNext co-founders Veronika Sonsev and Scott Silverman in early June, and its been an amazing start with a great audience.  Check it out where you enjoy your podcasts today. So here is my full length feature interview with Alex from women’s apparel retailer Universal StandardWho just last week, The Times of London called "the most revolutionary brand in fashion." Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of The Voice of Retail.  Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss out on the latest episodes, industry news, and insights. If you enjoyed  this episode please consider leaving a rating and review, as it really helps us grow so that we can continue getting amazing guests on the show. I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co! Until next time, stay safe and have a great week!  The Voice of Retail podcast is presented by Hale, a performance marketing partner trusted by brands like ASICS, Saje, and Orangetheory to scale with focus and impact. 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.Over the last decade, the sleep industry has undergone some serious transformation. Jeremiah Curvers, the co-founder and CEO of Polysleep, believes that the importance of sleep is “the next revelation” on the health front that consumers are going to prioritize.While technological advancements, such as the machinery responsible for compact mattress packing, have shaken up the otherwise maturing market, there remains a high level of competition. Direct-to-consumer distribution structures have proven very popular in mattress retail.Though neither of Polysleep’s founders had much of a background in the sleep industry when they started the company, it’s perhaps their outsider perspective that has allowed them to reach their audience in a crowded marketing space.In this episode of The Voice of Retail, I sit down with Jeremiah to talk about supply chains, company culture and marketing strategies. From inside-out, learn about the technology that makes Polysleep’s product unique and the strategic decisions that have brought this Canadian-made, environmentally conscious brand to life. Jeremiah Curvers is the Co-Founder and CEO of Polysleep, a Canadian mattress retailer based and made 100% in Montreal, Canada. Raised in a Belgian family specialized in furniture and decoration, Jeremiah grew with a strong entrepreneurial spirit with a background that led him to a promising career in the mattress industry.Jeremiah launched Polysleep in 2016 as an online mattress-in-a-box company.The company started with just one product, the classic Polysleep mattress, and has since expanded to add pillows, two new mattresses, one of them with high technology solutions, a bed foundation, and a baby mattress. As an ambitious and self-taught businessman, Jeremiah is a true believer in learning by doing, starting his first company at the age of 17. Digital marketing is Jeremiah's playground. His years of digital marketing experience at Mediative prove that he is an early adopter when tackling the digital world. Today he is focused on building a successful company that is innovating and creating products that ultimately help people sleep better. ********Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of The Voice of Retail.  Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss out on the latest episodes, industry news, and insights. If you enjoyed  this episode please consider leaving a rating and review, as it really helps us grow so that we can continue getting amazing guests on the show. I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co! Until next time, stay safe and have a great week! The Voice of Retail podcast is presented by Hale, a performance marketing partner trusted by brands like ASICS, Saje, and Orangetheory to scale with focus and impact. 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.Rob Moore has been on all four sides of the table.With decades of retail, political, communications and agency experience in his back pocket, Rob brings a unique perspective to the table as a Partner at the one of Canada’s top public affairs agencies, Crestview Strategy.From public policy to public opinion, get an insider look at modern government relations and how it impacts retailers. Learn about the changes that this line of work has undergone within the past few decades and what Rob has to say about digital campaigning and public opinion in government relations tradecraft today.Rob gives us his top three best pieces of advice for better understanding the political environment as it pertains to retail, and stick around for is hot take on Jagmeet Singh’s TikTok account (and other thoughts on our current and impending political climate - including the pending federal election call).Rob MooreRob has over 20 years of experience in politics, corporate communications, public affairs and business strategy, a career that has included leadership roles in both the private and public sector.  Rob brings this unique perspective from both the commercial and political worlds to build on Crestview’s successful government relations practice.Rob joins Crestview after recently managing the largest division of a multi-national public relations agency.  As an independent consultant Rob has provided corporate reputation, issues management and public affairs advice to clients in numerous and varied industries and markets.  He has been the lead executive with responsibility for brand reputation, strategic planning, investor relations and regulatory affairs for some of Canada’s largest companies including Hudson’s Bay Company, Loblaws, and the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation.And prior to these corporate officer roles, Rob was the Director of Public Affairs, Canada, Edelman Public Relations Worldwide; Director of Communications and Press Secretary for the Mayor of the City of Toronto; Principal at the communications firm, Perkins Moore Associates; and a senior political aide to a Federal Member of Parliament.Rob has been a leader in the global corporate social responsibility and sustainability community.  Serving on the Board of Directors of Canadian Business for Social Responsibility since 2005.  Including acting as Interim President  & CEO and now is the Board Chair.Rob serves as an advisory Board, Committee Member and Board Director to numerous community and not-for-profit organizations including Canadian Business for Social Responsibility; Canadian Journalism Foundation; Community Living Ontario; Evergreen Foundation; and the YMCA of Greater Toronto. ********Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of The Voice of Retail.  Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss out on the latest episodes, industry news, and insights. If you enjoyed  this episode please consider leaving a rating and review, as it really helps us grow so that we can continue getting amazing guests on the show.I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co!Until next time, stay safe and have a great week! The Voice of Retail podcast is presented by Hale, a performance marketing partner trusted by brands like ASICS, Saje, and Orangetheory to scale with focus and impact. 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.Retail real estate has been fundamentally shaken up by the pandemic. Between lockdowns for non-essential services and accelerated eCommerce growth, investigating the health of retail through the lens of the real estate market offers a wealth of information.This special episode of The Voice of Retail features an interview picked up from my weekly livestream  that I co-host with Retail Council of Canada on the last week of June.Get an in-depth analysis of the current and future state of the Canadian retail marketplace from the expert perspective of Cushman & Wakefield’s Executive Managing Director of Retail Services, John Crombie.In this interview, my co-host for the evening, Karl Littler (RCC’s Senior Vice President of Public Affairs), and I call on John’s professional experience and research to unlock new information about the retail marketplace. From malls to warehouses, we discuss the need for technological innovation, changing real estate prices and new opportunities to keep up with evolving consumer behaviour. ********Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of The Voice of Retail.  Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss out on the latest episodes, industry news, and insights. If you enjoyed  this episode please consider leaving a rating and review, as it really helps us grow so that we can continue getting amazing guests on the show.I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co!Until next time, stay safe and have a great week! About John Crombie:An innovative leader with a proven track record in business, brokerage and commercial real estate across Canada and internationally for over 25 years.Acknowledged as one of the top 20 influencers in the World of Real Estate in Canada in 2018, and one of the six recipients worldwide to win the Global Medallion ICSC Award for contribution to Retail Research in Canada, in 2016An industry expert and thought leader on the Canadian real estate market. A strategic thinker with a strong technical background and a passion for innovation.Recognized for insightful knowledge and forward thinking of the retail real estate market, a noted keynote speaker at industry events, conventions and seminars and frequent contributor to articles and news reports in various publications including the Globe and Mail, the Toronto Star, Canadian Business, BNN and CTV television.Actively participates in the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Council for the Commercial Real Estate & Development (CRED) industry as an Advisory Partner.• Deep experience in leasing, acquisitions, operations, property management and asset management• A leader and mentor committed to people and team development through sales coaching• Expert negotiator and a strategic thinker with an innovative approach to portfolio strategies• Knowledgeable on research insights and in-depth analysis of commercial real estate and retail• Proficient in business development with a client focused – win/win - approach to business• Strong governance relations expertise with a commitment to community contribution The Voice of Retail podcast is presented by Hale, a performance marketing partner trusted by brands like ASICS, Saje, and Orangetheory to scale with focus and impact. 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.Warehouse automation has reached new heights in the pandemic - and it doesn’t seem to be stopping here.While COVID-19 has created a host of supply chain challenges, it’s also underscored essential opportunities for innovation. From climbing robots to increasing demand for reflexive and dynamic warehouses, we get to the bottom (or rather, the top) of the modern retail warehouse.In this episode of The Voice of Retail, I sit down with the CEO of Exotec Robotics, Romain Moulin, to talk about the past, present and future of warehouse automation. We discuss the accelerated need for agile warehouses, how Skypod System’s climbing robots are redefining warehouses from architecture to operations, and when investing in automation is right for you as a retailer.With a little human-to-robot harmony, it’s safe to say that the twenty-first-century warehouse is changing for the better. Watch the informational video on Exotec’s Skypod System here.  About Romain MoulinRomain Moulin is the CEO of Exotec, a company he co-founded with Renaud Heitz in 2015 . As a former robotics architect and technical engineer at GE and BA Système, Romain spent 10+ years immersed in deep technology systems before he shifted his attention to solving the challenge of retail warehouse automation. He was born and raised in France and graduated from a top French engineering university, SUPAERO.********Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of The Voice of Retail.  Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss out on the latest episodes, industry news, and insights. If you enjoyed  this episode please consider leaving a rating and review, as it really helps us grow so that we can continue getting amazing guests on the show.I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co!Until next time, stay safe and have a great week!  The Voice of Retail podcast is presented by Hale, a performance marketing partner trusted by brands like ASICS, Saje, and Orangetheory to scale with focus and impact. 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.When brands are preparing to enter Chinese markets, Ashley Dudarenok tells them to “assume nothing.”Ashley, the founder of China-based social media marketing firms Alarice and ChoZan, reminds companies to not underestimate the complexity of the nation’s market. When it comes to reaching consumers in China, she suggests that foreign KPI’s, benchmarks and even best-selling product lines are left behind.In this episode of The Voice of Retail podcast, I sit down with fellow RETHINK Retail Top 100 Global Influencer Ashley Dudarenok to talk about the vast and digitally-centred niches within China’s retail market. Ashley sheds light on how the pandemic has shaped the retail marketing space, from ageing populations to revenge consumption. We explore digital marketing calendars that are oriented around multi-day festivals, livestreaming in retail and insights on trends that might cross over to North American markets.Ashley notes that large markets like that of China’s, can be a double-edged sword. As the potential to reach new customers increases, so does the opportunity for failure - especially if your marketing strategy is out of touch.*******Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of The Voice of Retail.  Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss out on the latest episodes, industry news, and insights. If you enjoyed  this episode please consider leaving a rating and review, as it really helps us grow so that we can continue getting amazing guests on the show.I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co!Until next time, stay safe and have a great week! Ashley Dudarenok 艾熙丽🇨🇳 I'm a China watcher, 3-time Amazon bestselling author, global keynote speaker, vlogger, podcaster, media contributor and female leadership spokesperson. 👇👇👇I'm the founder of:🇨🇳 Chinese social media agency Alarice (alarice.com.hk)🇨🇳 China digital academy ChoZan (chozan.co)🔥FIRE self-development and mentorship program for professionals and entrepreneurs (firebyashley.com)I've been named🚀 LinkedIn Top Voice in Marketing🚀 “Guru on Digital Marketing and Fast-evolving Trends in China” by Thinkers50🚀 Young Business Leader Of The Year 2021 by IPWS, Women Leadership Award🚀 Asia's Top 25 Innovator by the Holmes Report🚀 Top 20 Visionaries of the Media & Technology by Adello Magazine🚀 World’s Top 100 Retail Influencers by RETHINK Retail🚀 100 B2B Thought Leaders To Follow in 2021 by Thinkers360I am a member of:✌️Alibaba's Global Influencer Entourage 2017-2021✌️JD's Global China Experts Group 2018-2021✌️I also worked directly with a Tencent co-founder to conquer Western social media from 2017 to 2019.I'm an Amazon bestselling author of three books:📖 Unlocking the World’s Largest E-Market: A Guide to Selling on Chinese Social Media📖 Digital China: Working with Bloggers, Influencers and KOLs, and📖 New Retail: Born in China, Going GlobalI’m a global keynote speaker and masterclass facilitator. My topics include:🚀 Modern Chinese Consumers🚀 China’s Digital Marketing🚀 China's New Retail and TechnologySince 2016, I've spoken at over 150 events across the globe for companies such as BMW, Disney, Shangri-La, Deutsche Bundesbank, Richemont, Li & Fung, Hang Lung Properties, Manulife, TEDx and many others.🎥 I run the world’s #1 YouTube business vlog about the China market, consumers and social media at www.youtube.com/c/AshleyTalksChina.🤓 I’m a regularly contributing to media such as TechNode, Jing Daily, The Next Web and the SCMP. I was featured on the BBC, Forbes, Bloomberg, CGTN, the WSJ, CNBC, WIRED, Huffington Post, Asia Times, HKET, Ming Pao and many others.🎙 I’m the host of the AshleyTalks Podcast, where I interview top thought leaders from across Asia about entrepreneurship, marketing, women in business, China, tech and more.📚 I’ve given lectures at HKU Space and done talks at the China Business Centre of Hong Kong PolyU and the National University of Singapore Business School.#ashleytalks #china #digitalmarketing #socialmedia   The Voice of Retail podcast is presented by Hale, a performance marketing partner trusted by brands like ASICS, Saje, and Orangetheory to scale with focus and impact. 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, and this episode is brought to you by Fortinet, Fortinet secures the largest enterprise, service provider, and government organizations around the world. Fortinet empowers its customers with intelligent, seamless protection across the expanding attack surface and the power to take on ever-increasing performance requirements of the borderless network—today and into the future. Fortinet’s mission is to secure people, devices, and data everywhere.Cyberattacks on businesses are more commonplace than we might think. And the pandemic might have made it worse.As offices transitioned to work-from-home systems and many retailers either started or expanded their eCommerce practices, the Chief Information Security Officer for National Retail at Fortinet says that protecting your cybersecurity perimeter has never been so important (and complex).In this episode of The Voice of Retail I sit down with Courtney Radke, Fortinet’s National Retail CISO, to talk about how retailers can better protect themselves - and their customers - in a rapidly changing digital landscape.Courtney sheds light on the reality of identifying and reporting breaches in cybersecurity, we talk about the business of being a cybercriminal and I get to the bottom of how retailers can sustainably invest in their cyber safety. ******** Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of The Voice of Retail.  Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss out on the latest episodes, industry news, and insights. If you enjoyed  this episode please consider leaving a rating and review, as it really helps us grow so that we can continue getting amazing guests on the show. Courtney Radke, National Retail CISO, FortinetCourtney spent over 10 years leading retail technology strategy and securing distributed networks at multiple retail and restaurant organizations across North America. As the CISO for Retail at Fortinet, Courtney uses his skills and experience as a former retail customer and technology leader to provide real-world solutions for customers and partners in the retail vertical. I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co!Until next time, stay safe and have a great week! The Voice of Retail podcast is presented by Hale, a performance marketing partner trusted by brands like ASICS, Saje, and Orangetheory to scale with focus and impact. 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.What’s a COVID-era trend and what’s here to stay?Amar Singh is the Senior Director in Consulting at the marketing research company, Kantar. As a retail consultant who specializes in macroeconomics and forecasting, Amar has invaluable insights on the past, present and future impacts of the pandemic. At the post-COVID intersection of acceleration and disruption, Amar fleshes out the trends that all retailers should be keeping their eyes on. In this episode of The Voice of Retail podcast, I am thrilled to sit down with my long-time friend Amar to talk about supply chain disruption, how AI in the retail space is too focused on the past, and what the “returning to normal” timeline really looks like.********Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of The Voice of Retail.  Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss out on the latest episodes, industry news, and insights. If you enjoyed  this episode please consider leaving a rating and review, as it really helps us grow so that we can continue getting amazing guests on the show.I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co!Until next time, stay safe and have a great week!  The Voice of Retail podcast is presented by Hale, a performance marketing partner trusted by brands like ASICS, Saje, and Orangetheory to scale with focus and impact. 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.