Podcasts about i'm michael leblanc

Global E-Commerce Leaders Forum co-founder Kent Allen joins Josh Rockoff, former Chief Digital Officer at Diane von Furstenberg and Juliana Pereira, VP of Marketing, Flow Commerce to discuss how Diane von Furstenberg expanded its global e-commerce footprint to shoppers in other markets.Our guests each talk about how the Diane von Furstenberg team leaned into cross-border, offering insight into the strategic approach the brand took to grow their international business as well as share some advice in Michael's patented “two starts and one stop” format.  They will also provide a brief overview of what they will be talking about at the GELF NYC '21 event; namely the challenges the brand faced launching cross-border ecommerce in several booming international markets. Juliana will also provide a sneak peek into a new Flow Commerce study rich with data profiling cross-border consumer trends in the 8 top global markets.We look forward to getting the GELF community back together in real life after the long layoff since GELF LA 2020, which was our biggest and best West Coast gathering ever! GELF NYC 2021 will bring together leaders from retailers and brands selling direct-to-consumer. Top global consumer brands will join digital natives from the fashion and apparel world, health and beauty, consumer electronics and other leading retail verticals for two days of education, sharing and networking.Digital commerce innovators, cross-border ecommerce experts and global ecommerce thought leaders will debate how the boom in ecommerce translates into international expansion as the retail world comes back online. Retailers and brands selling direct-to-consumer can register/apply for complimentary passes at https://commercenext.com/gelf/ If you liked this podcast you can follow us on Apple iTunes, Spotify,    Amazon music podcast channel or your favourite podcast platform, please rate and review with a five star rating and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail and cross-borders commerce 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, and you can learn more about the Global E-Commerce Leaders Forum  and continue to keep up with the latest on cross-border commerce online at https://www.globalecommerceleadersforum.com/Kent AllenI help innovative digital companies tell their story and build relationships with prospective and established clients and partners. I've spent the last twenty years providing market analysis, research & thought leadership, market development and consulting services within the ecommerce technology and digital marketing community.Current focus: Globalization via cross-border ecommerce, marketplaces and international retail expansion. Co-founded the Global eCommerce Leaders Forum to foster community among and provide education to digital professionals with international growth objectives.My 20+ years of experience in the digital commerce and marketing industry and strong personal connections have provided me with opportunities to stay ahead of the curve and explore "what's next" for my clients and our audiences.My research, content marketing & thought leadership skills coupled with my strong client interface skills allow me to define & execute next-generation marketing and commerce strategies & improve business performance.Specialties/Skills: Market Research, Communications, Strategy, Planning, Best Practices, Trend, Data and Competitive Analysis, Public Speaking, Writing and Expression 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, have a safe week!

Global E-Commerce Leaders Forum co-founder Kent Allen joins Valerie de Charette, Head of International, American Eagle Outfitters and Patrick Bousquet-Chavanne, President & Chief Executive Officer, eShopWorld (ESW) Americas to discuss the complexities of expanding globally through direct-to-consumer channels. Valerie and Patrick's fireside chat will wrap up the morning keynotes at the GELF NYC '21 Global Stage during our Day 1 program on Tuesday, September 28th. Join us at the upcoming GELF event in New York, September 28th and 29th 2021 where we will be co-located with the CommerceNext In real Life conference at the Sheraton New York Times Square hotel!Our guests each talk about their extensive retail ecommerce background, their respective businesses, state of cross-border eCommerce, two starts and one stop advice.  They will also provide a brief overview of what they will be talking about at the GELF NYC '21 event; namely global expansion challenges ranging from localization and logistics to data management, legal compliance, and proving ROI internally. We look forward to getting the GELF community back together in real life after the long layoff since GELF LA 2020, which was our biggest and best West Coast gathering ever! GELF NYC 2021 will bring together leaders from retailers and brands selling direct-to-consumer. Top global consumer brands will join digital natives from the fashion and apparel world, health and beauty, consumer electronics and other leading retail verticals for two days of education, sharing and networking. Digital commerce innovators, cross-border ecommerce experts and global ecommerce thought leaders will debate how the boom in ecommerce translates into international expansion as the retail world comes back online. On September 28th and 29th, the Global Ecommerce Leaders Forum (GELF) community returns to New York City live and in person. This year we're bigger and better than ever as we join our friends from the CommerceNext team at the New York Hilton!GELF NYC 2021will co-locate its annual gathering in New York City with CommerceNext In Real Life (IRL) 2021. Join the GELF community for keynotes, breakout sessions, executive roundtable meetups and networking as our global ecommerce programming grows to two full days this September.We look forward to getting the GELF community back together in real life after the long layoff since GELF LA 2020, which was our biggest and best West Coast gathering ever!GELF NYC 2021 will bring together leaders from retailers and brands selling direct-to-consumer. Top global consumer brands will join digital natives from the fashion and apparel world, health and beauty, consumer electronics and other leading retail verticals for two days of education, sharing and networking. Digital commerce innovators, cross-border ecommerce experts and global ecommerce thought leaders will debate how the boom in ecommerce translates into international expansion as the retail world comes back online.     If you liked this podcast you can follow us on Apple iTunes, Spotify,    Amazon music podcast channel or your favourite podcast platform, please rate and review with a five star rating and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail and cross-borders commerce 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, and you can learn more about the Global E-Commerce Leaders Forum  and continue to keep up with the latest on cross-border commerce online at https://www.globalecommerceleadersforum.com/Kent AllenI help innovative digital companies tell their story and build relationships with prospective and established clients and partners. I've spent the last twenty years providing market analysis, research & thought leadership, market development and consulting services within the ecommerce technology and digital marketing community.Current focus: Globalization via cross-border ecommerce, marketplaces and international retail expansion. Co-founded the Global eCommerce Leaders Forum to foster community among and provide education to digital professionals with international growth objectives.My 20+ years of experience in the digital commerce and marketing industry and strong personal connections have provided me with opportunities to stay ahead of the curve and explore "what's next" for my clients and our audiences.My research, content marketing & thought leadership skills coupled with my strong client interface skills allow me to define & execute next-generation marketing and commerce strategies & improve business performance.Specialties/Skills: Market Research, Communications, Strategy, Planning, Best Practices, Trend, Data and Competitive Analysis, Public Speaking, Writing and Expression 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, have a safe week! 

Global E-Commerce Leaders Forum co-founder Kent Allen  join Kai Li, VP of International at REVOLVE, Agustin Farias, International GM at Everlane and  Matthew Steinbrecher, Vice President, Platforms & Partnerships at Reach to catch up on all thing cross-border and talk about their exciting session at of the upcoming GELF event in New York, September 28th and 29th 2021!  Our guests each talk about their respective businesses, state of cross-border eCommerce, two starts and one stop advice and finally give a brief overview of what they will be talking about at the NYC IRL GELF 2021 event. There's light on the horizon! On September 28th and 29th, the Global Ecommerce Leaders Forum (GELF) community returns to New York City live and in person. This year we're bigger and better than ever as we join our friends from the CommerceNext team at the New York Hilton!GELF NYC 2021will co-locate its annual gathering in New York City with CommerceNext In Real Life (IRL) 2021. Join the GELF community for keynotes, breakout sessions, executive roundtable meetups and networking as our global ecommerce programming grows to two full days this September.We look forward to getting the GELF community back together in real life after the long layoff since GELF LA 2020, which was our biggest and best West Coast gathering ever!GELF NYC 2021 will bring together leaders from retailers and brands selling direct-to-consumer. Top global consumer brands will join digital natives from the fashion and apparel world, health and beauty, consumer electronics and other leading retail verticals for two days of education, sharing and networking. Digital commerce innovators, cross-border ecommerce experts and global ecommerce thought leaders will debate how the boom in ecommerce translates into international expansion as the retail world comes back online.     If you liked this podcast you can follow us on Apple iTunes, Spotify,    Amazon music podcast channel or your favourite podcast platform, please rate and review with a five star rating and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail and cross-borders commerce 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, and you can learn more about the Global E-Commerce Leaders Forum  and continue to keep up with the latest on cross-border commerce online at https://www.globalecommerceleadersforum.com/ Until next time, have a safe week! 

Welcome to the Remarkable Retail podcast Season Three, Episode Two! I'm Michael LeBlanc, and I'm Steve Dennis.  This week we go deep on a growing trend that Steve introduced in his book, and recently unpacked in a Forbes article: namely how so many aspects of retail--stores, supply chains, brand distribution strategies and more--are moving from roles that are largely singular in purpose to becoming (or needing to become) hybrid in nature. This shift is profound, requires potentially massive changes over time and, we argue, not yet getting the attention it deserves.But first we open up the episode with our quick takes on recent retail news that caught out attention, including Nordstrom's partnership with ASOS, more investment into Flipkart, eMarketer's updated US e-commerce forecast.NOTE: We'll be releasing episodes every two weeks through September 7, when we'll move back to a weekly format. Next up, Indocino's CEO Drew Green.Also be sure to check out our newish YouTube channel. Steve Dennis is an advisor, keynote speaker and author on strategic growth and business innovation. You can learn more about Steve on his       website.    The expanded and revised edition of his bestselling book  Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption is now available at  Amazon or just about anywhere else books are sold. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a      Forbes senior contributor and on       Twitter and       LinkedIn. You can also check out his speaker "sizzle" reel      here.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  ,    The Food Professor  with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois and the all new Conversations with CommerceNext.  You can learn more about Michael       here  or on       LinkedIn. 

Global E-Commerce Leaders Forum co-founders Kent Allen and Scott Silverman join me to catch up on all thing cross-border and talk about the exciting news of the upcoming GELF event in New York, September 28th and 29th 2021!There's light on the horizon! On September 28th and 29th, the Global Ecommerce Leaders Forum (GELF) community returns to New York City live and in person. This year we're bigger and better than ever as we join our friends from the CommerceNext team at the New York Hilton!GELF NYC 2021 will co-locate its annual gathering in New York City with CommerceNext'sIn Real Life (IRL) 2021. Join the GELF community for keynotes, breakout sessions, executive roundtable meetups and networking as our global ecommerce programming grows to two full days this September.We look forward to getting the GELF community back together in real life after the long layoff since GELF LA 2020, which was our biggest and best West Coast gathering ever!GELF NYC 2021 will bring together leaders from retailers and brands selling direct-to-consumer. Top global consumer brands will join digital natives from the fashion and apparel world, health and beauty, consumer electronics and other leading retail verticals for two days of education, sharing and networking. Digital commerce innovators, cross-border ecommerce experts and global ecommerce thought leaders will debate how the boom in ecommerce translates into international expansion as the retail world comes back online.If you liked this podcast you can follow us on Apple iTunes, Spotify,    Amazon music podcast channel or your favourite podcast platform, please rate and review with a five star rating and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail and cross-borders commerce 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, and you can learn more about the Global E-Commerce Leaders Forum  and continue to keep up with the latest on cross-border commerce online at https://www.globalecommerceleadersforum.com/Until next time, have a safe week! 

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 with the support of omNovos Canada's digital customer engagement company. ‘Tis the season for giving and omNovos can help you give your customers the gift of a personalized experience in 2021.  Find out how you can Get Personal and Grow Sales with omNovos at www.realcustomerengagement.comIn this episode I talk leadership, resilience and learning how to show up on the Zoom stage with award-winning actor Colm Feore in this pick-up from the Set The Tone Harry Rosen webinar series, Creativity Lives On.********Thanks to Colm,  Trinh and the team at Harry Rosen for being my partners in the Set the Tone webinar series ,  plus omNovos for their support on this episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  rate and review, and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail industry.    You can watch my live interview with Colm at Harry Rosen online.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!

This podcast is intended for listeners 18+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 with the support of omNovos Canada's digital customer engagement company. ‘Tis the season for giving and omNovos can help you give your customers the gift of a personalized experience in 2021.  Find out how you can Get Personal and Grow Sales with omNovos at www.realcustomerengagement.comIn this episode I welcome back to the podcast retail leader April Sabral on the launch of her new book, "The Positive Effect"!  April talks about her personal and professional journey and how the lessons learned along the way created formative lessons in retail leadership.Next, JP Adamo takes a lifetime of hospitality and customer experience lessons and leverages them into Canada's newest retail cannabis concept store, Dimes Cannabis.But first, let's hear from Scott from April********Thanks to  April and JP for being my guests,  plus omNovos for their support on this episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  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!

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 with the support of omNovos, Canada's digital customer engagement company. omNovos make Personalization EASY by helping you engage the right customer, with the right content, at the right time. Find out how you can get started quickly and affordably so you can focus on doing what matters most--driving revenue and margin growth at www.realcustomerengagement.comThis episode is also brought to you by Salesforce, the global CRM leader that is empowering companies of every size and industry to digitally transform and create a 360° view of their customers"In this episode I welcome Scott Arsenault, President of Ren's Pets, a  regional pet store chain based in Ontario with national ambitions with and expanded store fleet and powerful online solutions , and we talk about the tremendous growth of online and a category benefiting from an explosion of demand due to the COVID-19 era.Next I talk with one of the sharpest analysts and observers in the retail industry, Rob Garf, Vice President, Strategy and Insights, Retail and Consumer Goods at Salesforce as Rob shares  key North American Black Friday/Cyber Monday retail and consumer trendsBut first, let's hear from Scott from Ren's Pets********Please join me this holiday in supporting the Make Kids Smile campaign along with Stream Commerce Mastermind Toys  Baffin Footwear & Apparel , Rakuten Kobo Inc. and Truefitt & HIll North America .  Make Kids Smile is a grass-roots, hyper-local Toronto charitable initiative with a goal to raise money, gift wrap and personally deliver holiday gifts to kids, youth, and teens in Toronto.  Visit Make Kids Smile to learn more and donate today!******Thanks to  Scott and Rob for being my guests,  plus omNovos and Salesfore for their support on this episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  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!

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 with the support of omNovos, Canada's digital customer engagement company. omNovos make Personalization EASY by helping you engage the right customer, with the right content, at the right time. Find out how you can get started quickly and affordably so you can focus on doing what matters most--driving revenue and margin growth at www.realcustomerengagement.comThis episode is also supported by Axis Communication, For a smarter, safer world.  By combining intelligent technology and human imagination, Axis offers solutions based on sight, sound and analytics to improve security and optimize business performance.In this episode I welcome Eric Claus, new CEO of MEC and talk about his rich history in the retail industry and return to the front lines to lead one of Canada's most beloved retail brands.Next, I catch up with Rick Snook, Axis Communications and discovers the vital role that Axis has played before and during the pandemic to bring the LP/AP community together plus forward-thinking strategies marrying AI technology, machine vision and deep retail insight.But first, let's hear from Eric from MEC********Please join me this holiday in supporting the Make Kids Smile campaign along with Stream Commerce Mastermind Toys  Baffin Footwear & Apparel , Rakuten Kobo Inc. and Truefitt & HIll North America .  Make Kids Smile is a grass-roots, hyper-local Toronto charitable initiative with a goal to raise money, gift wrap and personally deliver holiday gifts to kids, youth, and teens in Toronto.  Visit make kids smile dot ca to learn more and donate today!******Thanks to Eric and Rick for being my guests,  plus omNovos and Axis Communications for their support on this episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  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!

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 with the support of omNovos, Canada's digital customer engagement company. omNovos make Personalization EASY by helping you engage the right customer, with the right content, at the right time. Find out how you can get started quickly and affordably so you can focus on doing what matters most--driving revenue and margin growth at www.realcustomerengagement.comThis episode is also supported by riwi, real-time interactive world-wide intelligence, visit www.riwi.com to learn more…In this episode I welcome Samir Kulkarni, CEO of Showcase - Home of Canada's hottest trends. Samir shares his innovative approach to staying ahead of the top retail product trends with social media listening and agile supply management and merchandising that also made them an important destination for PPE in the early days of the COVID-19 crisis.Next, I catch up with Gary Davenport, CIO Mentor and Board Advisor and talks about the early days of working together and launching Hudson's Bay groundbreaking eCommerce, plus his wise advice to modern retail technology leaders.But first, let's hear from Samir from Showcase******Thanks to Samir and Gary for being my guests,  plus omNovos and riwi for their support on this episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  rate and review, and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail industry.  I'm Michael LeBlanc, Founder and President of M.E. LeBlanc and Company Inc. and you can learn more about me on www.meleblanc.co or of course on LinkedIn

Welcome to the The Voice of Retail special Black Friday bonus episode, I'm your host Michael LeBlanc, and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada and with the support of omNovos, Canada's digital customer engagement company. omNovos make Personalization EASY by helping you engage the right customer, with the right content, at the right time. Find out how you can get started quickly and affordably so you can focus on doing what matters most--driving revenue and margin growth at www.realcustomerengagement.comThis episode is also supported by riwi, real-time interactive world-wide intelligence, visit www.riwi.com to learn more…In what is now an annual tradition for the podcast, in this bonus episode I talk to retail thought leaders to explore one of the most important days in the retail calendar - Black Friday!First up, I welcome back Deciem CEO Nicola Kilner who lets us know that they are  Hitting the Pause, In Order To Move the World Forward and boycotting Black Friday,  no longer feel comfortable participating in a "holiday" so focus on hyper-consumerism and that leaves such a negative impact on our Earth. Next I assembled a top panel of thought leaders to discuss Black Friday strategy featuring best selling author and my partner in the Remarkable Retail podcast Steve Dennis and veteran retail CMOs Karen Stirling and Anne Donohoe for a lively and wide ranging discussion and debate.But first, let's hear from Nicola from Deciem******Thanks to Nicola, Steve, Karen and Anne for being my guests,  plus omNovos and riwi for their support on this bonus episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  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!

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 with the support of omNovos, Canada's digital customer engagement company. omNovos make Personalization EASY by helping you engage the right customer, with the right content, at the right time. Find out how you can get started quickly and affordably so you can focus on doing what matters most--driving revenue and margin growth at www.realcustomerengagement.comIn this episode I'm in the Big Apple, New York City first with an exclusive interview with Paige Thomas, President & CEO Saks OFF 5TH.   We discuss her rich background in retail through to developing a passion for the off-price format, and then delve into the brand strategy matrix, the affordable luxury retail trend, the evolution of the second hand luxury market  and the future of retail in the covid era and beyond.Next, I meet Ron Thurston, Vice President of Stores at INTERMIX and  Best Selling Author with his great new book Retail Pride.  In a wide-ranging interview Ron takes us through his history of accomplishment and learning in retail store operations and delivers a glimpse into the masterclass of retail as a career that he chronicles and celebrates in his book.But first, let's hear from Paige from Saks Off 5th:******Thanks to Paige and Ron for being my guests,  plus omNovos for their support on this episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  rate and review, and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail industry.  I'm Michael LeBlanc, Founder and President of M.E. LeBlanc and Company Inc. and you can learn more about me on www.meleblanc.co or of course on LinkedIn

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 with the support of omNovos, Canada's digital customer engagement company. omNovos make Personalization EASY by helping you engage the right customer, with the right content, at the right time. Find out how you can get started quickly and affordably so you can focus on doing what matters most--driving revenue and margin growth at www.realcustomerengagement.comThe Voice of Retail is also supported by Raange.  Are you looking to cut your customer acquisition cost by up to 50%? Raange helps brick and mortar brands convert store visitors into digital customers with mobile engagements. Watch a quick video demo by texting “Retail” to 55055.In this episode I'm in Calgary with Vice-President – Marketing and Member Experiences for Calgary Co-Op, Penney McTaggart Cowan.  We explore the journey behind launching two new private label brands in the COVID era, hundreds of new products, the power of being Uber-local,  and managing the brand and member experience in a time of great change.Next, I catch up with a long time friend and global brand expert David Kincaid, Founder and Managing Partner of Level5 Strategy.  In a wide ranging conversation we talk about David's four decades of helping c-suite executives create and nourish brands, and all about the masterclass in brand and business strategy that is his latest book, The Brand Driven CEO.But first, let's hear from Penney from Calgary Coop******Thanks to Penney and David for being my guests,  plus omNovos and Raange for their support on this episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  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!

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 with the support of omNovos, Canada's digital customer engagement company. omNovos make Personalization EASY by helping you engage the right customer, with the right content, at the right time. Find out how you can get started quickly and affordably so you can focus on doing what matters most--driving revenue and margin growth at www.realcustomerengagement.comThe Voice of Retail is also supported by Raange.  Raange helps brick and mortar brands turn store visitors into digital customers. Learn how Raange added 1 million new subscribers to a retailer's CRM in just 6 months by texting “Data” to 55055 and unlock the strategy to massive database growth.In this episode I'm in Ottawa talking with Lee Valley Tools President & CEO Robin Lee and Jason Tassé, Chief Operating Officer about the rich heritage of this Canadian retailer, their unique retail format and adapting to the COVID-19 crisis with innovations such as the new Contactless Shopping Capability for Stores Across Canada   Next, veteran urban planner and author Joe Berridge talks about what makes our cities great, the current and potential impacts on cities with the massive changes happening today brought on by the COVID-19 crisis, and all about his recent book, Perfect City.But first, let's hear from Robin and Jason******Thanks to Robin, Jason and Joe for being my guests,  plus omNovos and Raange for their support on this episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  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!

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 with the support of omNovos, Canada's digital customer engagement company. omNovos makes Personalization EASY by helping you connect with your customers, connect with your data, and connect with your systems. Learn HOW at www.realcustomerengagement.com.In this episode I'm in Ohsweken  on the Six Nations of the Grand River  celebrating Small Business Week in Canada with Dakota Brant, CEO of Sapling & Flint™, a jewellery manufacturer and retailer specializing in gold & sterling silver.  We talk about how Dakota and her business stands out in a crowded market, what makes this award winning retailer successful, and key elements important to indigenous makers and retailers here in Canada.Check out Set the Tone brought to you by Harry Rosen, view the first episode here. Next we hear from Erik Qualman, best selling author of seven books on his latest, The Focus Project.  Erik talks about time vampire and taking control of your life to help you step fully into your story.But first, let's hear from Dakota******Thanks to Dakota and Erik for being my guests, and omNovos for their support on this episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  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!

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 supported by Snapchat Canada.In this episode I'm in Montreal to meet the co-founders and CEOs of  international phenom Moose Knuckles Canada, Noah Stern and Ayal Twik.I talk with both CEOs  as they share their vision around their fashion forward brand of outerwear that is polar opposite of the rest of the luxury brands and we hear their take on being successful in retail as they continue to expand around the world with two existing flagship stores, more on the way here in Canada and internationally, and plans for over a dozen pop-up stores happening to maintain the incredible momentum of the brand.Next SnapChat Canadian Director and GM Matt McGowan brings us up to speed on this powerful and popular platform for retailers with 238Million users daily world wide and 9 Million Canadians talking advantage of this fun, safe and engaging platform.You can reach Matt at mcgowan@snap.com and find the research he mentions in our interview here. But first, let's hear from Noah and Ayal******Thanks to Noah, Ayal and Matt for being my guests on this episode, and again to Snapchat Canada for their support.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  rate and review, and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail industry.  I'm Michael LeBlanc, Founder and President of M.E. LeBlanc and Company Inc. and you can learn more about me on www.meleblanc.co or of course on LinkedIn Until next time, have a safe week!

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 special episode I'm helping retailer Harry Rosen Set The Tone with a new online webinar series which invites Canadian thought leaders and role models to chat about current events, their passions and how they set the tone for their personal and professional lives.    In this first episode of the series Larry Rosen, Chairman and CEO of Harry Rosen, and top executive coach Jane Gaynor are introduced by series host Trinh Tham, CMO for Harry Rosen and then join me to talk about leadership in the COVID era.You can watch a playback of the live webinar here. Next,  I welcome back to the podcast Eric Morris Managing Director of Retail for Google Canada and we catch up and talk about the latest fascinating fresh insights from Google based on search data on how Canadian consumers are shopping and getting ready for Holiday 2020.  Check out the report and the data here.But first, let's listen into Set the Tone with Larry Rosen and Jane Gaynor from Gain Your Edge  Coaching******Thanks to Trinh, Larry, Jane and Eric for being my guests on this episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  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!

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 with the support of omNovos, Canada's digital customer engagement company. omNovos makes Personalization EASY by helping you connect with your customers, connect with your data, and connect with your systems. Learn HOW at www.realcustomerengagement.com.In this episode I welcome back top global strategist and former Dean of the Rotman School of Business in Toronto, Roger Martin on the launch of his latest book "When More is Not Better: Overcoming America's Obsession with Economic Efficiency” now available to purchase from your favourite book store.  We catch up after the summer with his perspectives on retail strategy in the COVID era and the concept of pre-pandemic consumer habits as "rapidly decaying assets".  https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/when-more-is-not-better/9781647820060-item.html?ikwid=when+more+is+not+better&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0#algoliaQueryId=f11faf27ac575b9926f6a2d48125e92cRegister for the Harry Rosen "Set the Tone"  "Set The Tone" new webinar series to help us stay confident during uncertainty! Register here: https://webinar.ringcentral.com/webinar/register/WN_GUHa4A7VTYOx2WL3_LzVQgNext listen in as I present a quick keynote on the state of retail and eCommerce in Canada, and then host a live and interactive discussion at the recent IAB Canada eCommerce summit with my good friend, colleague and mentor  Ted Starkman, President & CEO of StreamCommerce after an introduction by the moderator for the day, Dominic Laforest, Integrated Account Manager, Corus Entertainment with additional commentary by Sonia Carreno, President at IAB CanadaBut first, let's check in with global strategist and author Roger Martin******Thanks to Roger, IAB, and of course Ted Starkman for being my guests, and omNovos for their support on this episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  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!

Welcome to a special bonus 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 we meet Jerry McGlynn, CIO, Specialized (formerly) and Adam Coyle, CEO, Digital River who In this sneak-peak panel preview episode of their closing Keynote Fireside: “Digital Takes Center Stage: How to Scale Global Gracefully in the Age of COVID” give a sense of the fantastic discussion to happen October 1, 2020 at Oktoberfest with their “two starts and one stop” advice for retailers and brands on their digital and global eCommerce journey.Register for free at https://www.globalecommerceleadersforum.com/oktoberfest/Let's now hear from GELF co-founder Kent Allen who will set the stage for us:(Register here:http://bit.ly/gelfokto)******************That's a wrap on this special Oktoberfest podcast preview bonus episode  of The Voice of Retail podcast, thanks again to Jerry and Adam for being my guests.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  rate and review, and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail industry.  I'm Michael LeBlanc, Founder and President of M.E. LeBlanc and Company Inc. and you can learn more about me on www.meleblanc.co or of course on LinkedIn, and you can learn more about the Global E-Commerce Leaders Forum or OctoberFest online at https://www.globalecommerceleadersforum.com/Until next time, have a safe week!

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 with the support of omNovos, Canada's digital customer engagement company. omNovos makes Personalization EASY by helping you connect with your customers, connect with your data, and connect with your systems. Learn HOW at www.realcustomerengagement.com.On this episode I travel to Montreal to meet Alexandre Guimond, Co-CEO of Altitude Sports a now pure-play eCommerce retailer focussed on curating high-quality, durable goods for outdoor adventures and urban pursuits.   We talk about their growth strategy in the “before time”, adjusting to the rapid demand in their business and their launch of same-day delivery in Montreal and coming soon in Toronto.Next from Toronto Steffen Schenk, President / COO at mīhī cannabis returns to the podcast in his new role and talks about the journey to opening their first store in Ontario and their winning focus on customer experience.But first, let's check in with Alex from Altitude******Thanks to Alex and Steffen for being my guests, and omNovos for their support on this episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  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!

Welcome to a special bonus 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 we meet Tracy Hermans, Director of Ecommerce, L-Space by Monica Wise and Casey Gee, Sr. International Business Manager, MANSCAPEDBoth from the Oktoberfest Executive Leaders Keynote Panel: How Bold Guesses and “Happy Accidents” Help Digital and Wholesale Teams Work as One Team”. (Register here:http://bit.ly/gelfokto)In this sneak-peak panel preview episode you'll learn about Tracy and Casey's background, their “two-start, one stop” advice for brands and retailers who are now engaged in or considering cross-border commerce, and get a sense of the fantastic discussion to happen October 1, 2020 at Oktoberfest, where I will be moderating a Global Growth Showcase panel on the Canadian market featuring SAXX, Canada Post and Passport Shipping.Let's now hear from Global E-Commerce Leaders Forum co-founder Kent Allen who will set the stage for us:******************That's a wrap on this special Oktoberfest podcast preview bonus episode  of The Voice of Retail podcast, thanks again to Tracy and Casey for being my guests! support on this episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  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!

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 with the support of omNovos, Canada's digital customer engagement company. omNovos makes Personalization EASY by helping you connect with your customers, connect with your data, and connect with your systems. Learn HOW at www.realcustomerengagement.com.On this episode I'm in Ottawa to meet Jean Louis Bellemare, President and General Manager of Farm Boy Company and 2020 Golden Pencil recipient.  We talk about the rich history of Farm Boy, the evolution of their unique in-store experience, assortment, merchandising and marketing strategies and now in the COVID era, what if anything has changed in their strategy and approach.   Next, we're in Vancouver with my good friend and retail strategist David Ian Gray talking about the state of the retail sector and the upcoming challenges and opportunities for retailers during Holiday 2020.   But first, lets check in with Jean Louis from Farm Boy******Thanks to Jean Louis and David for being my guests, and omNovos for their support on this episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  rate and review, and be sure and recommend to a friend or colleague in the retail industry.  I'm Michael LeBlanc, Founder and President of M.E. LeBlanc and Company Inc. and you can learn more about me on www.meleblanc.co or of course on LinkedIn Until next time, have a safe week!

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 with the support of omNovos, Canada's digital customer engagement company. omNovos makes Personalization EASY by helping you connect with your customers, connect with your data, and connect with your systems. Learn HOW at www.realcustomerengagement.com.On this episode I catch up with Claire Santamaria, Vice President, Yorkdale Shopping Centre and talk about how Canada's most productive shopping mall is dealing with the COVID-19 crisis and looking ahead to the busy holiday season leveraging decades of experience and a strong team to help bring the year home.Next live from New York I interview a long time friend, colleague and retail industry veteran Bill Bass, CMO at Full Beauty Brands.   Bill shares lessons learned leading  eCommerce at brands such as Sears.com and Lands End, the strategic moat of plus size fashion and invaluable insights into the state and future of eCommerce.But first, lets check in with Claire from Yorkdale******Thanks to Claire and Bill for being my guests, and omNovos for their support on this episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  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!

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 episode we're off to Calgary to catch up with Raj Grover, Founder & CEO of High Tide right after the announcement of the merger with Meta creating the largest cannabis retailer in Canada at 63 store.  We talk about what it takes to run a cannabis retail network in the COVID era and still hit your gross margin and operating cost targets, the benefits of size and scale and what comes next as Raj and his team work to make sure the 1 plus 1 equals three retail math happens post merger.Next, we're back in Toronto to meet Drummond Munro, Chief Brand Officer, Superette talking about the vision and operations behind their newest flagship retail cannabis store.   A retail operations and brand veteran, Drummond talks about the lessons learned from the original flagship in Ottawa, the benefit of a slower than faster expansion plan, and what comes next for this innovative and much talked about retailer.But first, lets check in with Raj from High Tide******Thanks to Raj and Drummond for being my guests on this episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  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!

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 with the support of Astound Commerce."Modern commerce is complex and leaders need to look beyond web and marketing tech to understand the complete customer experience. The Astound Commerce Maturity Assessment lets you self-evaluate the state of your business against modern commerce demands. Visit astoundcommerce.commaturity "On this episode we're off to L.A. to meet Jeanne Anderson, Senior Vice President and General Manager at Saatchi Art.  With decades of global eCommerce experience including back in the beginning of the .com boom in the late ‘90s with eToys, Jeanne and I talk shop, what makes a luxury online site thrive and all about this this global marketplace for art that democratizes the art buying experience and puts money back into the hands of the artist.Next, I'm in Portland catching up with a long time friend and colleague Kate Delhagen, Strategic Advisor & Consultant, Board Director and Founder of Oregon Sports Angels.   From the late ‘90s as a pioneering Forrester analyst to over a decade as a senior executive with Nike and developing the digital / omnichannel business for thousands of their account partners worldwide and now a venture capitalist, we talk about the current state of eCommerce and the tradecraft of investing in the right people, business ideas and companies.But first, lets check in with Jeanne from Saatchi art******Thanks to Jeanee and Kate for being my guests and for Astound Commerce for their support of this episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  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!

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 with the support of Astound Commerce."Modern commerce is complex and leaders need to look beyond web and marketing tech to understand the complete customer experience. The Astound Commerce Maturity Assessment lets you self-evaluate the state of your business against modern commerce demands. Visit astoundcommerce.commaturity "On this episode I welcome back to the podcast the one and only Kevin Graff, President of Graff Retail.   For decades a key advisor, sales trainer and mentor to senior level retailers and their in-store teams, Kevin and I talk about optimizing the sales floor experience before and during the COVID crisis when all seems to have changed, but in fact the fundamentals are even more important to achieving sales success.Next another long-time friend and colleague Andrew Siegwart, President Blue Mountain Village Association is back to update us on the state of the retail tourism business, and share key lessons in transforming a customer driven organization through the pandemic and beyond with passion and a commitment to a learning and caring culture.But first, lets check in with Kevin live from Oakville******Thanks to Kevin and Andrew for being my guests and for Astound Commerce for their support of this episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  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!

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 with the support of Astound Commerce."Modern commerce is complex and leaders need to look beyond web and marketing tech to understand the complete customer experience. The Astound Commerce Maturity Assessment lets you self-evaluate the state of your business against modern commerce demands. Visit astoundcommerce.com/maturity "On this episode we meet Sarah Jordan, CEO of Mastermind Toys.   We talk about her arrival to this innovative retailer in early January just prior to the beginning of the COVID-19 crisis, growth strategies pre-and post pandemic, and how a skilled team of merchants, marketers and operators are working every day to bring parents coast to coast solutions for learning and play.Next we're off to Chicago for a wide ranging conversation with one of the most informed and experienced voices in North American eCommerce retail - Jason Goldberg, Chief Commerce Strategy Officer at Publicis and host of the great Jason & Scot podcast.  We deep dive into eCommerce platform development, whether the mobile gap is a feature or a bug, the great acceleration and tips for retailers.But first, lets check in with Sarah, live from Toronto******Thanks to Sarah and Jason for being my guests and for Astound Commerce for their support of this episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  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!

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 episode we meet a long time friend and colleague David Bolotsky, Founder & CEO, UncommonGoods.  For twenty plus years David has been a leader this innovative, category defining eCommerce website through the dot com boom, bust, echo and now shares his origin story with us, and the fundamental underlying philosophy and business strategies that have created long term sustainable growth.Next retailer, consultant, media retail pundit and now author Bruce Winder joins me as we catch up and learn about both his long history in the retail industry, about his new book “Retail Before, During and After COVID-19” and some of the key trends in the Time Before and now looking ahead through the COVID era.https://www.amazon.ca/RETAIL-Before-During-After-COVID-19/dp/B089M61PB4/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=bruce+winder&qid=1596778006&sr=8-1But first, lets check in with David live from Brooklyn New York******Thanks to David and Bruce for being my guests on this episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  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!

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 episode we meet Ken Keelor, CEO of one of the biggest cooperative grocers in North America, Calgary Co-op.   We start by tracing back and discovering the origins of where Ken gets his obvious enthusiasm for retail and the consumer, and the genesis of his strategic thinking around the Calgary Co-op brand and diversified business.  We then talk about the huge changes to the business both pre-covid with their change in partners and launch of relentlessly relevant private labels, and then how the team dealt with and is adapting to the COVID era.Next a long time colleague and friend Ian Madell , Managing Partner, President of Level 5 Strategy and I catch up and talk brand strategy, what it means to be the steward of both the corporate strategy and important customer outcomes, the nature of the changing consumer and retail landscape, and wise advice for retailers on winning  on brand in the COVID era.But first, lets check in with Ken from Calgary Co-op******Thanks to Ken and Ian for being my guests on this episode.  If you liked this podcast please subscribe on Apple, Spotify or your favourite podcast platform,  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!

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 omNovos, Canada's Retail Customer Engagement Solutions Provider. Combine all of your customer data into a single view to create real-time, personalized connections with your customers in our new contactless world. Learn more at www.realcustomerengagement.com.On this episode we meet Andrew Tepperman, President of Tepperman's who takes us through the long, rich history of this Ontario based furniture retailer and how they  draw  on their heritage and decades of experience serving customers to modern brand and format innovation to compete in a crowded category.Next, I catch up with Matthew Dixon, Chief Product and Research Officer for the Austin-based AI venture, Tethr. An accomplished business researcher and writer,  author of three Amazon and Wall Street Journal best-selling books on loyalty, sales strategy and customer service, —and is a frequent contributor to Harvard Business Review with more than 20 print and online articles to his credit.  We talk about the impact the COVID crisis has had on customer service, call centres and ultimately customer satisfaction and loyalty.But first, lets check in with Andrew from Tepperman's******Thanks to Andrew and Matt,for being my guests on this episode, and to omNovos for their generous sponsorship.  If you liked this podcast you can subscribe on Apple, Spotify 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!

Welcome to the The Voice of Retail special CommerceNext Bonus episode part 2, I'm your host Michael LeBlanc, and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of CanadaOn this episode I talk with Joe Megibow, CEO of innovative mattress brand and manufacturer Purple.  With decades of senior level dot com experience with the likes of Expedia and American Eagle behind him, Joe is helping Purple break through the huge sleep category.Next veteran retail and consumer analyst Ken Cassar, Principal of CassarCo Strategy and Analytic Consultants.    Ken takes us through a top-line analysis of recent U.S. online retail and consumer data and helps us understand shopping trends during the COVID era.But first let's hear from Joe from Purple!******Thanks to Joe and Ken for being my guests on this special bonus episode.   Be sure and visit CommerceNext.com and register for the CommerceNext Virtual Summit taking place on July 28-29Tune in each and every week as I interview the most interesting people in retail - you can subscribe to The Voice ofRetail on Apple, Spotify 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!

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 CanadaOn this episode we head west to Vancouver and then back again to Toronto to meet two great retail cannabis operators innovating, growing their brand and retail footprint.Building and leading a team that are Cannabis enthusiast first, retailers second and 100% dedicated to their community and customer satisfaction Eleanor Lynch, President Of Operations at Kiaro is back on the podcast as we catch up on their latest retail store expansions, tactics for engagement in the community they operate in and ambitions to head east and bring their brand of operational experience and great retail to the Ontario market.Speaking of the Ontario market, James Jesty, President at The Friendly Stranger Holding Corp. joins me for a wide-ranging conversation where he outlines their three retail banner strategy based on a foundation of decades in the Ontario retail cannabis community and marketplace with The Friendly Stranger, Happy Days and Kensington's Markets Hot Box retail brand.But first, lets check in with Eleanor from Kiaro******Thanks to Eleanor and James for being my guests on this episode.   If you liked this podcast you can subscribe on Apple, Spotify 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!

Welcome to the The Voice of Retail special CommerceNext Bonus episode, I'm your host Michael LeBlanc, and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of CanadaOn this episode I talk to CommerceNext founders Scott Silverman and Veronika Sonsev talk about the Genesis of the CommerceNext thought leadership event and community, its overarching objectives and about the Virtual Summit July 28/29.Next Rob Schmults, Executive Board, Midocean Partners and Laura Joukovski, President, Global Fashion Brands, Techstyle Fashion Group both return to the podcast  and give me "two starts" and one "stop" pieces of advice for retailers based on their experiences and expectations of the COVID-19 era.But first let's hear from Scott and Veronika!******Thanks to Scott, Veronica, Rob and Laura for being my guests on this special bonus episode.   Be sure and visit CommerceNext.com and register for the CommerceNext Virtual Summit taking place on July 28-29Tune in each and every week as I interview the most interesting people in retail - you can subscribe to The Voice ofRetail on Apple, Spotify 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!

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 CanadaOn this episode we're in the motor city, Detroit, to talk with innovative online retailer and sneaker marketplace  StockX co-founder Josh Luber.  We talk about the intersection of passion and profit, how StockX innovative formula drives authenticity and credibility into the collectible re-sell market, and how a perfect price transparency model based on the stock market is driving record sales even in the face of the covid crisis.  Last, we explore the wildly innovative IPO market that StockX creates for brands to launch product lines in this celebrity (Drake, Mark Walberg, Eminem) funded platform.Next we head west to Santa Monica and chat with Ashley Merrill, CEO/Founder of Lunya Company, a purpose-built retailer focussed on bespoke sleepwear for the modern women.  We talk about the origin story behind the brand, and how the COVID crisis had changed the way Ashley is thinking about the business and how Lunya goes to market.But first, lets check in with Josh from StockX******Thanks to Josh and Ashley for being my guests on this episode.   If you liked this podcast you can subscribe on Apple, Spotify 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!

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 CanadaOn this episode Tal Zvi Nathanel, CEO of Showfields in New York City returns to the podcast to catch us up on how the thinking that created “the most interesting store in the world” and certainly the retail concept that had attendees and pundits at January's NRF Big Show buzzing has adapted to the COVID-19 crisis.  We talk about the key foundational principles that helped them navigate the early weeks of the crisis, their pivot onto online, and now with their store re-opened in New York and pending in Miami, what his retail concept focussed on experiential retail looks and acts like in the COVID era.Next from Washington D.C. Dan Pink, New York Times best selling author of six provocative books about business and human behavior is my special guest.  Dan and I catch up after meeting over ten years ago and talk about the trends and threads of narrative that he was thinking in “the time before”, and now how the COVID crisis has changed retail, business, society and how we work potentially forever.But first, lets check in with Tal from Showfields******Thanks to Tal and Dan for being my guests on this episode.   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!

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 CanadaOn this episode we help celebrate a great milestone and anniversary with Simon Rodrigue, Chief Digital Officer of Staples Canada.  We look a the brand and mission transformation of Staples just over a year ago, and Simon talks about the team and technology stack assembled to re-platform and re-imagine the online and digital presence of one of Canada's top eCommerce sites.Next Andrew Resnick, veteran retail operator joins me on the podcast as we catch up after working together in our past lives to talk about the key operational elements of executing online, digital strategies in stores with BOPIS pick-up and now the outsized demands placed on retailers coast-to-coast of curb side pickup that formed a lifeline or new customer experience market of the COVID-19 era.But first, lets check in with Simon from Staples******Thanks to Simon and Andrew for being my guests on this episode.   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!

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 omNovos - Canada's Retail Customer Engagement Solutions Provider.   Learn more at www.realcustomerengagement.comOn this episode we go to Winnipeg to meet Mark Letain, President at EQ3, a distinctive furniture retailer with stores in Canada and the U.S. that is part of the Pallister furniture business.  We talk about the positioning of the business and the dynamic furniture retail industry, and how EQ3 helped out the Winnipeg community when they needed it the most.Next Andrew Armstrong from omNovos joins me to talk about their perspectives on retail data strategy, the “jump ball” opportunity of the COVID-19 crisis, and how retailers can start their journey towards harnessing consumer data to create genuine loyalty.Lastly from Boston Rana el Kaliouby,  CEO & Co-Founder at Affectiva and Author of "Girl Decoded" joins us for an exclusive interview that takes us through her journey from a PhD in Computer Science and Post-Doc work at MIT to founding a company that explores the outer edges of AI and the integration of emotion and empathy.https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/girl-decoded-a-scientists-quest/9781984824769-item.html?ikwid=girl+decoded&ikwsec=Home&ikwidx=0#algoliaQueryId=203499f1c58900b3331362489495578fhttps://www.affectiva.com/But first, lets check in with Mark from EQ3******Thanks to Mark and Rana for being my guests, and thanks to Andrew & omNovos for their support of this episode.   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!

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 omNovos - Canada's Retail Customer Engagement Solutions Provider. Join me next week for an insightful interview with omNovos where we will discuss just how COVID-19 may have given retailers a bit of a gift. Turning contactless shopping into brand loyalty.  Learn more at  www.realcustomerengagement.comOn this episode recorded live from London England Nicola  Kilner CEO of Deciem -  the umbrella beauty company that houses a fleet of customer loved beauty brands and retail stores, more commonly known as the Toronto headquartered Abnormal Beauty Company.  We talk about how they maintain their pace of innovation, create wildly loyal brand advocates and how the resilience that is part of their brand is helping them through the COVID-19 crisis.Next the one and only Bryan Pearson, former CEO Loyalty One/Airmiles, is back, and back on the podcast to talk about loyalty trends pre-COVID-19 and the changing face of loyalty in the COVID-19 era and beyond, picking winners and losers, and his “jump-ball” moment on loyalty programs and customer behaviours and habits.But first, lets check in with Nicola from Deciem:******Thanks to Nicola and Bryan for being my guests, and thanks to omNovos for their support of this episode.   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!

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 episode we're going global - all the way to Melbourne Australia for an exclusive interview with Michael Schneider, Managing Director of Bunnings, one of the leading big box home improvement retailers in the world.   If you don't know Bunnings, they are a $13billion retailer with 377 trading locations employing over 44,000 team members. We talk about the one-two punch of the Australia wild fires and COVID-19, and how the business continues to operate, innovate and serve their communities across New Zealand and Australia.Next up Amarinder (Amar) Singh Principal Analyst at Kantar Consulting takes us through the trends, performance and competitive set of the hardware DIY retail sector, and brings us up to speed on the trends that were happening pre-COVID-19, the performance of the category so far in the COVID era and top three tips to stay competitive and win market share.But first, lets check in with Michael live from Melbourne******Thanks to Michael and Amar for being my guests, and thanks to Tectonic Architecture (www.tectonic-arch.com ) for their support of this episode.   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!

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 features an interview with our sponsor Kronos who believes that great businesses are powered by great people.On this episode we are going to learn about two great retail businesses, Levi Strauss and Eight Sleep.  First up on this episode live from Paris Diana Dimitian, Vice President and Managing Director South Europe at Levi Strauss & Co. talks about the strength of the brand and operating DTC and stores in Italy, Spain and France leading into and during the COVID crisis.Next up Amanda Nichols Sr Manager, Industry Marketing from Kronos describes the strength and agility of this largely cloud based workforce management solution, employee management trends heading into 2020  and the key essential new requirements for employees for the COIVD-19 eraFinally live from New York Alexandra Zatarain, Co-Founder at Eight Sleep introduces her innovative product, sleep solution brand and DTC retail model that I first saw at Showfields in January, and is sparking a movement for better sleep during troubling times.But first, lets check in with Diana live from Paris******Thanks to Diana, Amanda and Alexandra for being my guests, and thanks to Kronos for their support of this episode.   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!

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 omNovos. Create the personalized interactions that your customers will actually look forward to with omNovos – Canada's Retail Customer Engagement Solutions Provider. Combine all of your customer data into a single view. Learn more at www.realcustomerengagement.com First up on this episode an exclusive interview with Peter Simons, CEO of La Maison Simons, live from Quebec City.   Started in 1840 and still a family owned and operated Canadian department store, Peter talks about the history of this storied retail brand, the expansion out of Quebec across Canada, and brings us up to date on the current state of the business, his perspective  on the future of the department store format and tells all about their Fabrique 1840 initiative, which creates a marketplace for bespoke local creators across Canada on the Simons web site and beyond.Next up the one and only Willy Kruh is back on the podcast.  The recently retired  Partner and Global Chair Consumer & Retail at KPMG International and frequent top ranked presented at RCC's annual STORE conference, Willy steps back into the ring with his analysis of the current state of retail, what the COVID-19 era means from millennials and other consumers, and wise advise honed by decades of working with c-level retail and brand executives from around the world on how retailers can survive the crisis.But first, lets check in with Peter Simons******Thanks to Peter and Willy for being my guests on this episode, and thanks to omNovos for their support of this episode and The Voice of Retail podcast.   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!

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 on this episode an exclusive interview with Michael Graydon, CEO at Food & Consumer Products of Canada (FCPC) the national industry association in Canada representing the food, beverage and consumer products industry.   We talk about how brands reacted to the shockwave of demand for food and household products, how retailers and their vendor partners came together to keep Canadians fed and take care of their new and essential needs, and finally a cautionary note around the challenges ahead of operating in the COVID-19 era.Next up Jane Gaynor, Founder and Certified Coach, Gain Your Edge Coaching puts on a master class in the tradecraft of executive coaching, the key attributes of executive success managing through the COVID-19 crisis and beyond, crucial communication skills that help you manage teams remotely and two starts and one stop on the road to being effective during the COVID-19 era.https://www.gainyouredgecoaching.com/But first, lets check in with Michael Graydon from FCPC******Thanks to Michael and Jane for being my guests on this episode  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!

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 on this episode retail veteran Nadia Vattovaz, CFO & EVP Operations at Fire & Flower talks about operating  across Canada during COVID-19 powered by their purpose built, retail 2.0 company, allowing them to roll out curb side and home delivery in lightening speed with fantastic results with awesome consumer experience thanks to the  power of their peopleNext up Forrester Research Vice President & top retail analyst Sucharita Kodali is back on the podcast looking at the catastrophic retail results in the U.S. and what all retailers should be focussed on today to ensure there is a tomorrow including re/up skilling their idle teams, investing on neglected areas of the business, and mastering the mechanics of click & collect or curb side.Elite soccer player/trainer turned health scientist, entrepreneur and DTC retailer Rachael Rapinoe is my final guest, taking lessons from the pitch and turning them into focus on the touch line of her CBD brand for retail, Mendi.First lets jump right in to my interview with Nadia from Fire & Flower******Thanks to Nadia, Sucharita and Rachael for being my guests on this episode  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!

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  sponsored by omNovos – Canada's Retail Customer Engagement Solutions provider, combining data, software, and services to help retailers create and deliver real-time personalized content in your customers' moments of truth.In this special feature episode a full length interview with one of the sharpest minds in corporate strategy in the world - Roger Martin is my special guest.  One of the original founders of Monitor Company, transformative Dean of now the globally top ranked Rotman School of Business at University of Toronto, and author of many influential papers and books, Roger and I talk about the nature of strategy and where it has gone wrong,  the big bets retailers need to make to survive through the COVID-19 crisis, consumer habits versus loyalty, and his new book When More is Not Better: Overcoming America's Obsession with Economic Efficiency coming out this September.So lets jump right in to my interview with Roger Martin, live from Florida******Thanks to Roger for being my guest on this episode, and my generous sponsor omNovos.  I'll return next week with more great interviews and with the top retail stories from  Retail This Week.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!

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 special episode an exclusive interview with the President and CEO of one of the largest wine and alcohol retailers in the world right in my back yard, George Soleas of Ontario's LCBO.   In a two part interview, the first part one recored in mid March in LCBO's Toronto boardroom pre-COVID-19, the second part recorded online during the peak of the crisis, George shares the ins and outs of the art and science of his personal journey, and work done to modernize the LCBO, work that is being pressure tested today as an essential service.  Next he shares tips for retailers of all formats as they work to craft the playbook to open their stores and operate in the new “business as unusual” Coronavirus retail environment .Next Jennifer Huether, one of Canada's rare Master Sommeliers and one of less than 300 in the world with her designation is my guest from backstage at the Restaurants Canada trade show in early March.  We talk what it takes to be a master som, trends in wine and Jennifer shares her top tips for finding an amazing bottle to enjoy.But first, let's jump right into my conversation with George Soleas from the LCBO******Thanks to George and Jenifer  for a unique pairing on this episode. We'll return in the weeks to come with the top retail stories from  Retail This Week.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!

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.Live from New York at the epicentre of technology and the COVID crisis,  Lockie Andrews, CIO and Chief Digital Officer for retailer UNTUCKit is my special guest.   We talk about the history of this fast growing apparel retailer, starting online then with a single store in Soho with now 85 locations in the U.S, Canada and the U.K.  Lockie describes operating during the COVID crisis and how as a venture backed, digitally native brand they moved early and are seeing sales success online.  Finally, she shares her three top tips or pillars on getting through the crisis and the months ahead.Next Steve Buors, CEO and Co-Founder of Reshift Media joins me and we delve into the latest COVID era consumer media and social media platform behaviours, and Steve parses the data to come up with solid, action strategies and tactics for both essential and non-essential retailers.But first, let's jump right into my conversation with Lockie Andrews from UNTUCKit******Thanks to  Lockie and Steve  for being my guests on this episode.    Now let's take a look the top retail stories with Retail This Week for the week of April 17, 2020.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!

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 kick off with an interview with Duncan Fulton, Chief Corporate Officer for Restaurant Brands International, better known as Tim Hortons, Burger King and Popeyes.  Recorded live in a busy media room at the Restaurant Canada trade show in Toronto early March, Duncan takes us through the strategy and culture driving 27,000 restaurants in 110 countries with a new restaurant opening every seven hours and how to figure out the right pace of change in any organization.Next Carl Boutet, Chief Strategist for Studio RX, recorded from his office in Montreal.  We catch up after missing each other in January at the NRF Big Show and talk about his visit to Asia and China earlier in the year, observations from his tour and lessons learned that we can apply to our situation today dealing with COVID-19 and how the Chinese are pulling themselves out of the crisis.But first, let's jump right into my conversation with Duncan from RBI******Thanks to Duncan and Carl for being my guests on this episode.  Speaking of doing business in China, I'm thrilled to announce that in partnership with some of the top thought leaders in the space I've launched a new podcast, Global E-Commerce Tech Talks!  Be sure and check out our trailer episode now available on all the major platforms to learn more.  Now let's take a look the top retail stories with Retail This Week for the week of April 6th, 2020.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!

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!

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!

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!