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.In this episode I’m starting to address the COVID-19 crisis and it’s impact on the retail industry with a mix of episodes interviewing retail advocates, thought leaders, strategists and retailers themselves as we all work together to get our arms around this shock to world.First up Diane Brisebois, President & CEO of Retail Council of Canada is my special guest.  After 25 years serving the retail community in Canada Diane and her team’s substantial skills are being put to the ultimate test.Next, live from Singapore Frank Lavin, Chairman and Founder of Export Now returns to the podcast to update us on the Chinese market as they get their arms around the COVID-19 crisis and start to see daylight, yielding important lesson and opportunities for retailers our of what Frank describes as a “tornado of bad news”Finally Marc Fortin, President of Retail Council/CCCD Quebec joins me from his home office in Montreal.   We hone in on the Province of Quebec and the work Marc and his team is doing to support and advocate for retailers, and how key connections to government will leverage Quebec’s food industry to get food onto grocers shelves in innovative and bold new waysBut first, let’s jump right into my conversation with Diane Brisebois from Retail Council of Canada******Thanks to Diane, Frank and Marc for being my guests on this episode.  Retail news of the week will return next week/next episode as I return to my two interview format.That’s a wrap on this edition of The Voice of Retail.  If you liked this podcast you can subscribe on Apple iTunes or your favourite podcast platform, please rate and review, and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail industry.I’m Michael LeBlanc, Founder and President of M.E. LeBlanc and Company Inc. and you can learn more about me on www.meleblanc.co or of course on LinkedInUntil next time, have a safe week! Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

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.  This episode is intended for listeners 21 plus.In this episode, recorded early March we touch base with two great Canadian cannabis retailers and explore their retail concept, merchandising strategies and business experienceFirst up Steven Fry, President and Co-Founder of Session Cannabis recorded live at his newest location in the east end of Toronto.  We talk about his indoctrination into the industry as an Ontario lottery winner, early partnership with High Tide/Canna Cabana, and now opening up his new Sessions brand cannabis stores in Ontario.  Steven shares his growth strategy, savvy insights into merchandising recreational cannabis and the retail strategies that will make his brand one to watch.Next, live from Vancouver Corey Gillon, CEO of Choom Cannabis Company.  A lifelong retailer, with extensive Canadian and global experience in large scale operations, international M&A and digital/eCommerce, Corey takes us through a rich retail career path and then we delve into Choom.  With 15 stores, three under construction based on a story brand strategy with a powerful community, the role of culture and how to translate the brand into the retail sales floor.But first, let’s jump right into my conversation with Steven Fry from Sessions Cannabis.******Thanks to Steven and Corey for being my guests on this episode.  Well  Now let’s hit the highlights of the retail news in Canada and around the world with Retail This Week for the week of March 23rd, 2020That’s a wrap on this edition of The Voice of Retail.  If you liked this podcast you can subscribe on Apple iTunes or your favourite podcast platform, please rate and review, and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail industry.I’m Michael LeBlanc, Founder and President of M.E. LeBlanc and Company Inc. and you can learn more about me on www.meleblanc.co or of course on LinkedInUntil next time, have a safe week! Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

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.In this episode, recorded live in early March backstage the Restaurants Canada trade show in Toronto, Dr. Sylvain Charlebois Senior Director, Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University returns to the podcast as my special guest.  We talk pre-COVID-19 macro trends around dining out, meal kits, his Zamboni theory of retail cannabis and  this big picture perspective on plant based proteins, the environment and its impact on food decision and what drives the pace of change in food trends.Next, just off the plane from London England is Dr Morgaine Gaye, Food Futurologist to talk about how she practices her craft helping food companies and advertising agencies see around corners, plus the three big future trends in food.Last but certainly not least a long time friend and colleague Terry Donnelly, CEO at Hill Street Beverage Company joins me as we catch up on the latest developments in his nation leading non-alcoholic beverage company poised to take advantage of retail cannabis  2.0 with his top of the line, category creating infused cannabis beverages. But first, let’s jump right into my conversation with Sylvain Charlebois******Thanks to Sylvain, Morgaine and Terry for being my guests on this episode.  Well  Now let’s hit the highlights of the retail news in Canada and around the world with Retail This Week for the week of March 16, 2020That’s a wrap on this edition of The Voice of Retail.  If you liked this podcast you can subscribe on Apple iTunes or your favourite podcast platform, please rate and review, and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail industry.I’m Michael LeBlanc, Founder and President of M.E. LeBlanc and Company Inc. and you can learn more about me on www.meleblanc.co or of course on LinkedInUntil next time, have a great week!  Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

Welcome to a very special Showcase Ireland 2020 episode of The Voice of Retail, I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada.In this episode, recored live at the January Showcase Ireland buying show in Dublin.  I sit with both makers of amazing Irish products and two of the Canadian merchants that joined me for the trip across the Atlantic.We kick off with Siobhán Kehoe from  Rathbornes Candles.  Founded in 1488 this is a company that got its start lighting the streets, churches and lighthouses of Dublin to now making products found in the finest stores around the world.Next all the way from Victoria Bob Ianson, founder and co-owner of Heirloom Linens is back on the podcast and we sit down and talk about his observations from the buying show floor, what it takes to win in retail and his advice after a lifetime in retail to merchants just starting out and learning their craft.Then Eleanor Hanna, General Manager at Hanna Hats of Donegal a third generation company passionate about creating unique Irish products talks about their powerful brand story and incorporating tradition and craftsmanship into their popular productsWe wrap up with buyer Justin Manning and Julia Maddin, Head of Operations from Toronto’s own Drake General Store on how to develop an eye for the right product  on the Showcase floor that is a perfect fit for the eclectic merchandise mix that is the hallmark of the Drake’s assortment.But first, let’s jump right into my conversation with Siobhán from Rathbornes Candles of 1488: **********Thanks to Siobhán, Bob, Eleanor, Justin and Julia for being my guests on this episode.  If you would like to lear more about Showcase Ireland taking place in January 2021 drop me a line or visit showcaseireland.comThat’s a wrap on this edition of The Voice of Retail.  If you liked this podcast you can subscribe on Apple iTunes or your favourite podcast platform, please rate and review, and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail industry.I’m Michael LeBlanc, Founder and President of M.E. LeBlanc and Company Inc. and you can learn more about me on www.meleblanc.co or of course on LinkedInUntil next time, have a great week! Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

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.In this episode I visit with Mimi Lam, CEO and co-founder of cannabis retailer Superette in her soon-to-be opened Toronto store.  We explore their award winning brand and retail concept, lessons learned from a fast-paced first year with their store in Ottawa, and what lies ahead for this innovative retailer.Next, the one and only Bruce Linton, Founder and former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer at Canopy Growth Corporation, the cannabis company he started in 2012 and grew to an organization with a market cap of $20billion with $5billion in the bank.  We meet at the Restaurant Canada show in Toronto just before he was interviewed on the main stage.  We talk about our shared paths from Carleton University in Ottawa, lesson learned, the road ahead, and what he would do as Canada’s cannabis Czar!But first, let’s jump right into my conversation with Mimi from Superette******Thanks to Mimi and Bruce for being my guests on this episode.  Well  Now let’s hit the highlights of the retail news in Canada and around the world with Retail This Week for the week of March 9 2020That’s a wrap on this edition of The Voice of Retail.  If you liked this podcast you can subscribe on Apple iTunes or your favourite podcast platform, please rate and review, and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail industry.I’m Michael LeBlanc, Founder and President of M.E. LeBlanc and Company Inc. and you can learn more about me on www.meleblanc.co or of course on LinkedInUntil next time, have a great week! Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

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.In this episode Lisa Hutcheson, Managing Partner of J.C. Williams Group joins us to talk about her rich, decades long background in retail and the retail mega trends brought together in the annual Ebeltoft Groups’s Global Retail Trends and Innovations report, for the past decade or so one of my favourite reads of the year.  We talk about the 2020 report, the four key trends that pull together the retail case studies and a few of the standout retailers representing each of the four big trendsNext, Karl Littler, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs from RCC returns to the podcast to bring us up to speed on the ratification process and timeline in Canada for the new NAFTA agreement, CUSMA.  Karl also provides a masterclass  on understanding the new, hard fought De Minimis rules that will helping keep the playing field level for online retailers in Canada.But first, let’s jump right into my conversation with Lisa from the J.C. Williams Group******Thanks to Lisa and Karl for being my guests on this episode.  Well  Now let’s hit the highlights of the retail news in Canada and around the world with Retail This Week for the week of March 2, 2020That’s a wrap on this edition of The Voice of Retail.  If you liked this podcast you can subscribe on Apple iTunes or your favourite podcast platform, please rate and review, and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail industry.I’m Michael LeBlanc, Founder and President of M.E. LeBlanc and Company Inc. and you can learn more about me on www.meleblanc.co or of course on LinkedInUntil next time, have a great week! Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

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.In this episode I welcome Gillian Stein, CEO of Henry’s, a family-owned and -operated business, that first opened its doors in 1909 and is now Canada's largest independent photographic and digital retailer.   Gillian takes us through the evolution of the retail brand, the ying and yang of being a mid-sized retailer, and the importance of staying true to your values.Next, Natalie Dumond, certified professional coach and certified Dare to Lead facilitator, joins us for a discussion around the power of brave leadership, courageous  cultures and gives us a sneak peak of what she will be presenting live on the main stage at Retail Council of Canada’s annual Retail Human Resources conference in March.But first, let’s jump right into my conversation with Gillian from her studio offices in downtown Toronto******Thanks to Gillian and Natalie for being my guests on this episode.  Well  Now let’s hit the highlights of the retail news in Canada and around the world with Retail This Week for the week of February 24 , 2020That’s a wrap on this edition of The Voice of Retail.  If you liked this podcast you can subscribe on Apple iTunes or your favourite podcast platform, please rate and review, and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail industry.I’m Michael LeBlanc, Founder and President of M.E. LeBlanc and Company Inc. and you can learn more about me on www.meleblanc.co or of course on LinkedInUntil next time, have a great week! Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

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.This is a special edition podcast focussed on the coronavirus, COVID-19 and the outbreak of the novel coronavirus as a business risk.   Beyond the human cost to people around the world, the disruptive potential to retailers in Canada is real.  At this early stage for most it can best be described as a “known-unknowns”, but for some retailers they are feeling the early impacts calling down sales for international locations, late shipments, missed buying trips and perceptible decreases in Chinese tourist-oriented sales in their outlets.In this episode I’m going to focus on the the Supply Chain Delays and Cost Increases.  For most retailers this is a 90day+ issue; the goods on offer made or sourced in China between now and spring at retail are mostly already on the water or in warehouses domestically. Continued delays however mean bottlenecks at shipping ports or air freight, both of which mean more delays and cost, including promotional plans and long-lead marketing programs (e.g. flyer production).   To help us get our arms around this I brought together three experts for this podcast.First, I welcome Frank Lavin, Founder and Chairman, Export Now back to the podcast to set the stage.   With decades of the most senior experience in Asia, including U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Singapore and working in the White House as an undersecretary of commerce for Asia, he brings a unique and rare voice to the current state of affairs.Second, Sarah Barnes-Humphrey, retail supply chain expert and host of the most excellent podcast, Let’s Talk Supply Chain.   Sarah helps us zone in on the retail issues and scope and scale of the issues.Lastly, Audrey Ross, Logistics & Customs Specialist for Orchard customer beauty, a Canadian based global supplier and maker of cosmetics with offices in China and with a global sourcing footprint, brings it all together and gives us a  day-to-day perspective dealing with this crisis in their work supplying retailers in North America and around the world.But first, let’s jump right into my conversation with Frank, live from Singapore.******Thanks to Frank, Sarah and Audrey for being my guests on this episode.  Well  Now let’s hit the highlights of the retail news in Canada and around the world with Retail This Week for the week of February 17th, 2020That’s a wrap on this edition of The Voice of Retail.  If you liked this podcast you can subscribe on Apple iTunes or your favourite podcast platform, please rate and review, and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail industry.I’m Michael LeBlanc, Founder and President of M.E. LeBlanc and Company Inc. and you can learn more about me on www.meleblanc.co or of course on LinkedInUntil next time, have a great week!  Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

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.First up in this episode recorded live backstage in Toronto at the Art Gallery of Ontario before the launch of his brand new book  THE REINVENTIONIST MINDSET: LEARNING TO LOVE CHANGE, AND THE HUMAN HOW OF DOING IT BRILLIANTLY (https://www.anrdoezrs.net/links/8946794/type/dlg/https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-reinventionist-mindset-learning-to/9781989025925-item.html?ikwid=joe+jackman&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0)the one and only Joe Jackman is my special guest for a feature interview.Next, I re-connect after too long with Rob Schmults, Executive Board at Mid-Ocean Partners private equity based in New York, formerly Senior Vice President of eCommerce and CRM at Talbots, senior executive as GSI commerce and Mckinsey consultant.   We talked in New York city on the sidewalk just outside a popular whisky bar where Scott Silverman was hosting his annual  e-Commerce leaders party.But first, let’s jump right into my conversation with Joe, picking it up as he describes the days of his youth already walking the retail show floor******Thanks to Joe and Rob  for being my guests on this episode.  Well  Now let’s hit the highlights of the retail news in Canada and around the world with Retail This Week for the week of February 7th, 2020That’s a wrap on this edition of The Voice of Retail.  If you liked this podcast you can subscribe on Apple iTunes or your favourite podcast platform, please rate and review, and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail industry.I’m Michael LeBlanc, Founder and President of M.E. LeBlanc and Company Inc. and you can learn more about me on www.meleblanc.co or of course on LinkedInUntil next time, have a great week! Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

Welcome to the third in a series of special NRF Big Show episodes of The Voice of Retail, I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada.First up in this episode recorded live backstage in New York City at the NRF Big Show TechStyle Fashion Group President, Global Fashion Brands Laura Joukovski is my guest.  Reflecting on her work overseeing JustFab, ShoeDazzle & FabKids and working with celebrities like Kate Hudson and Rihanna, we talk about the nature of celebrity based brands, working with global influencer, and the hard work that makes them a success, how to develop and retail leading edge fashion, subscription business models, and solving the attribution riddle.Speaking of influencers, Canadian global influencer and supermodel (regarded as the world’s first digital supermodel!)/entrepreneur Coco Rocha joins me for a quick but super interesting interview right after her understanding influencer marketing panel at NRF and shares insights into her tradecraftLast but certainly not least, Manolo Almagro from Q Division and co-host of the most excellent podcast Q’s Tech Talks is back on the podcast as my guest from the media room.   We talk retail tech, starting with the CES show and why retailers need to be there, then explore the trends on the show floor at NRF and beyond.But first, let’s listen into my conversation live from NRF with Laura from Just Fab/TechStyle******Thanks to Laura, Coco and Manolo  for being my guests on this episode.  Well  Now let’s hit the highlights of the retail news in Canada and around the world with Retail This Week for the week of February 3rd, 2020That’s a wrap on this edition of The Voice of Retail.  If you liked this podcast you can subscribe on Apple iTunes or your favourite podcast platform, please rate and review, and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail industry.I’m Michael LeBlanc, Founder and President of M.E. LeBlanc and Company Inc. and you can learn more about me on www.meleblanc.co or of course on LinkedInUntil next time, have a great week! Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.