Michael LeBlanc

The Voice of Retail

Business EN ↓ 549 episodes

The Voice of Retail is a weekly podcast hosted by retail pioneer, advisor and keynote speaker Michael LeBlanc and is produced in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada. Each and every week I interview the most interesting people in and around the retail industry, examining the key issues and strategies on the minds of thought leaders in Canada, the U.S. and around the world. © 2018-2026 M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Author

Michael LeBlanc

Episodes

Live & Interactive with MainStage keynote and Forbes contributing writer Steve Dennis together with Retail Strategist Carl Boutet, plus Retail Hall of Fame member John Torella 12.07.2019 48:57

Welcome to the Voice of Retail for the week of July 8, 2019 I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada. In this episode, the “thee amigos”; myself, #STORE2019 main-stage keynote speaker and Forbes contributing writer Steve Dennis and retail strategist Carl Boutet mix it up in the Purolator Podcasting Studio after the Excellence in...

Interview live from the main stage at RCC's #STORE2019 with Walter Robb, former Co-CEO of Whole Foods, and Michele Sexsmith, Senior Vice President of Environics Analytics talks state-of-the-art tools for retail store location selection 05.07.2019 54:10

Welcome to the Voice of Retail for the week of July 1, 2019 I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada. In this episode…live from the main stage at RCC’s #STORE2019 conference my exclusive interview with Walter Robb, former co-CEO of Whole Foods. We chat about the nature of consumers on both sides of the border, the zen of Amazon t...

Consumer Goods Forum Global Summit special edition featuring Kristina Rogers, Global Consumer Industries Leader for EY, Caroline Papadatos, Global Loyalty Consulting Leader & Bryan Pearson, CEO LoyaltyOne 02.07.2019 57:28

Welcome to The Consumer Goods Forum Global Summit special edition of the Voice of Retail I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada. An elite organization that brings consumer goods retailers and manufacturers together globally, the Consumer Good Forum’s Global Summit is a CEO-led group that aligns the world’s retailers and consume...

The Globe & Mail's veteran retail reporter Marina Strauss's exit interview plus up close and personal with Carl Boutet, retail strategist and Board advisor on the state of the retail nation in Canada and around the world 28.06.2019 45:08

Welcome to the Voice of Retail for the week of June 24th, 2019 I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada. In this episode…If you are a retailer in Canada and the name on your call display commanded your attention - Marina Strauss joins me on her last day at the Globe & Mail as their veteran retail reporter as we turn the mic a...

Feature Interviews with Arlene Dickinson, CEO of District Ventures Capital on taking innovative new products to retail, and Michele Sexsmith, SVP of Environics Analytics and helping CMOs understand the full power of digital & the marketing mix 21.06.2019 53:58

Welcome to the Voice of Retail for the week of June 18th, 2019 I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada. In this episode an exclusive interview with Arlene Dickinson, legendary entrepreneur, founding Dragon on CBC’s Dragon’s Den, veteran investor and CEO of District Ventures Capital ( https://www.districtventurescapital.com/) bas...

Interviews with Kaileen Millard-Ruff, Vice President of Retail at Lee Valley Tools & Willy Kruh, Global Retail Lead for KPMG and Retail Council of Canada’s 2019 inductee into the Retail Hall of Fame 14.06.2019 41:59

Welcome to the Voice of Retail for the week of June 11th, 2019 I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada and sponsored by Purolator, Canada's Shipping Company for courier and freight, learn more at www.purolator.com In this episode two exclusive feature interviews both recorded live in person at the Purolator Podcasting Studio at...

The Economist Cannabis Summit special edition featuring retailer Robin Ellins from Toronto's Friendly Stranger, Abbey Epstein Director of "Weed the People" and James Tebrake from Statistics Canada 10.06.2019 48:12

Welcome The Economist Cannabis Summit special edition of The Voice of Retail podcast, I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada. This special episode contains content intended for listeners 19+. Held in Toronto June 5, The Economist Cannabis Summit brought together an international roster of speakers addressing the cannabis indust...

Retail Insider's Craig Patterson on the state of retail in Canada in 2019, and former Tesco CMO/Eagle Eye Solutions CEO Tim Mason on his new book "Omnichannel Retail" 07.06.2019 1:06:41

Welcome to the Voice of Retail for the week of June 3 2019 I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada and sponsored by Purolator, Canada's Shipping Company for courier and freight, learn more at www.purolator.com In this episode Craig Patterson from Retail Insider joins me again as we catch up on the year to date in retail in Canad...

STORE2019 Special Edition No. 2 featuring Forbes contributor and main-stage keynote Steve Dennis, Cannabis NB General Manager Lara Wood and Purolator's Laurie Weston on the Mobile Quick Stop 05.06.2019 46:43

Welcome to our second special STORE 2019 edition of The Voice of Retail podcast I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada, and sponsored by Purolator, Canada's Shipping Company for courier and freight, learn more at www.purolator.com Retail Council of Canada’s STORE conference is the biggest retail conference of the year in Canada...

Feature interviews with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois talking Canada's new food guide and RCC's SVP Public Affairs Karl Littler on the new NAFTA, Sustainability and other key national issues for retailers 31.05.2019 46:01

Welcome to the Voice of Retail for the week of May 27th 2019 I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada and sponsored by Purolator, Canada's Shipping Company for courier and freight, learn more at www.purolator.com In this episode part two of my interview with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois Senior Director, Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalho...

STORE2019 Special Edition No.1 featuring Kevin Peesker, President of Microsoft Canada, Jo-Ann McArthur on EggQuality.ca, and David Lui, Vice President of Marketing for Mark's & FGL Sports 30.05.2019 48:32

Welcome to a very special STORE 2019 edition of The Voice of Retail podcast I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada, and sponsored by Purolator, Canada's Shipping Company for courier and freight, learn more at www.purolator.com Retail Council of Canada’s STORE conference is the biggest retail conference of the year in Canada, sp...

Special interview with retailer Sinéad Clarke at her Irish Design House, Dr. Sylvain Charlebois and I talk cannabis edibles, and RCC's Karl Littler talks tradecraft and NAFTA 24.05.2019 52:01

Welcome to the Voice of Retail for the week of May 20th 2019 I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada and sponsored by Purolator, Canada's Shipping Company for courier and freight, learn more at www.purolator.com In this episode a feature interview with retailer Sinéad Clarke at her wonderful store the Irish Design House in Toron...

Collision Conference Special edition featuring interviews with Sarah Landstreet of Georgette Packaging, Irish Minister for Trade & Business Pat Breen and Hassan Murad from Intuititve AI plus commentary by Chris Hodgson & Lisa Charters 23.05.2019 44:53

Welcome to a very special Collision conference edition of the Voice of Retail podcast I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada. Described by some as the Tiff for Tech, Collision is Irishman’s Paddy Cosgrave’s great import into Toronto for the first of a three year run. This North American tech conference outgrew it’s New Orleans...

Exclusive Interviews with Walter Robb, former Co-CEO Whole Foods and retail loyalty guru Rob Shields 17.05.2019 38:33

Welcome to the Voice of Retail for the week of May 13th 2019 I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada and sponsored by Purolator, Canada's Shipping Company for courier and freight, learn more at www.purolator.com In this episode an exclusive interview with Whole Foods former Co-CEO Walter Robb in advance of our discussion togethe...

Feature interviews with Kendall Barber Co-Founder & Co-CEO of PoppyBarley.com, Rob Shields Co-Founder & CCO of Paymi, and RCC's Stephanie Lear & Sean Tarry talk STORE2019 and Canadian Retailer 10.05.2019 56:02

Welcome to the Voice of Retail for the week of May 6th 2019 I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada and sponsored by Stream Commerce, North America’s fastest growing Shopify Plus agency, learn more at www.streamcommerce.com In this episode an interview with RCC Independent Retail Ambassador of the Year Kendall Barber and her Edm...

My interview continues with SPUD.ca's Peter van Stolk plus Michele Sexsmith from Environics Analytics 03.05.2019 48:16

Welcome to the Voice of Retail for the week of May 3rd, 2019 I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada. In this episode part 2 of my conversation with serial innovator Peter Van Stolk, CEO of SPUD. We hone in on global online grocery trends, talk about his innovative Food X platform and how is serves local consumers and small reta...

Special Edition O'Cannabiz cannabis conference edition with Tony Chapman, Tom Dyck of mihi Cannabis and John Oram of NUG Cannabis 01.05.2019 50:00

Content of this podcast is intended for 21+. Welcome to the Voice of Retail special O’Cannabiz Conference retail cannabis edition I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this special edition podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada. I recently attended the April O’Cannabiz cannabis conference [https://ocannabiz.com/], a multi-day event in Toronto and as always met and heard...

Exclusive interview with SPUD.ca's Peter van Stolk, retail thought leader Tony Chapman and RCC's Michelle Ribout talks STORE2019 26.04.2019 52:14

Welcome to the Voice of Retail for the week of April 22nd, 2019 I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada and sponsored by Stream Commerce, North America’s fastest growing Shopify plus agency, learn more at Stream Commerce dot com. In this episode part 1 of my conversation with serial innovator Peter van Stolk, CEO of SPUD based i...

Special Retail Marketing Conference edition featuring Trinh Tham from Sobeys, Jonathan Cavaliere and Shannae Ingleton Smith 23.04.2019 59:39

Welcome to the Voice of Retail special Retail Marketing Conference edition, I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this special edition podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada. Recorded live in Toronto April 18th 2019 at Retail Council of Canada’s annual Retail Marketing conference, this special edition podcast features two of my on-stage interviews plus insights from att...

Exclusive feature interview with Mark Miller, co-author of Legacy in the Making, and Marc Fortin, President of RCC Quebec 19.04.2019 48:33

Welcome to the Voice of Retail for the week of April 15 2019 I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada and sponsored by Stream Commerce, North America’s fastest growing Shopify plus agency, learn more at www. StreamCommerce.com . In this episode an exclusive feature interview with Mark Miller, Toronto native, Founder of the Legacy...

Exclusive interview with Canadian retailer Knix CMO Danielle Brown, Stocard Managing Director Jesse Michael and RCC's Kalie Belanger on Canadian Independent Bookstore Day 12.04.2019 50:21

Welcome to the Voice of Retail for the week of April 7 2019 I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada and sponsored by Stream Commerce, North America’s fastest growing Shopify plus agency, learn more at www. StreamCommerce.com In this episode an exclusive interview with Danielle Brown, freshly minted CMO for award winning Canadian...

Exclusive interview with Peter Housley from Indochino, Lauren Freedman (part 2) and retail CX and now Vancouverite Andrew Cherwenka 05.04.2019 52:50

Welcome to the Voice of Retail for the week of April 1, 2019 I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada and sponsored by Stream Commerce, North America’s fastest growing Shopify plus agency, learn more at Stream Commerce dot com. In this episode an exclusive interview with Peter Housley, Chief Revenue Officer for Vancouver based In...

Exclusive interview with Andy Palalas of High Tide talking cannabis retail, catching up with Lauren Freedmen on eCommerce merchandising trends (part 1) 29.03.2019 44:45

Welcome to the Voice of Retail for the week of March 25, 2019 I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada and sponsored by Stream Commerce, North America’s fastest growing Shopify plus agency, learn more at Stream Commerce dot com. In this episode an exclusive interview with Andy Palalas, Chief Revenue Officer of High Tide talking a...

Special Retail Council of Canada Retail Cannabis Forum Edition: Rethinking Traditional In-store Experience panel discussion 26.03.2019 37:39

Welcome to the Voice of Retail special Retail Cannabis Forum Store edition, I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this special edition podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada. Recorded live in Toronto March 26 at RCC’s first ever Retail Cannabis forum I moderated the Rethinking Traditional In-store Experience panel. According to Environics Analytics CannabisInsights, pow...

Andrew Siegwart talks Chinese tourism, award winning eCommerce retailer Kristy Wieber reveals her pivot of Rent Frock Repeat 22.03.2019 42:21

Welcome to the Voice of Retail for the week of March 18, 2019 I’m your host Michael LeBlanc and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada and sponsored by Stream Commerce, North America’s fastest growing Shopify Plus agency, learn more at www.streamcommerce.com In this episode part two of my interview with Blue Mountain Village Association President Andrew Siegwar...