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PODCAST

The Voice of Retail

Michael LeBlanc

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.

business management

All Episodes

00:39:09

From Marketing Leader to Independent Retailer: Daryl...

The Voice of Retail ·

2025/02/07

On this episode of The Voice of Retail, I reconnect with Daryl Aitken, the founder of Fabric Spark, for an engaging conversation on the shifting landscape of retail. Darrell's journey is a masterclass in adaptation—starting in advertising and e-commerce, then pivoting into a fabric business that blends digital and brick-and-mortar retail.Fabric Spark began as a passion project to improve the customer experience in the online fabric space.What started as a side hustle quickly became a full-fledged

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00:39:45

Retail Strategist Carl Boutet and his latest book...

The Voice of Retail ·

2025/01/31

On this episode of The Voice of Retail, host Michael LeBlanc speaks with retail strategist, professor, and author Carl Boutet about his journey in academia, insights from NRF 2025, and his latest book, Blind Spot: Navigating the Unforeseen Effects of Technology on Commerce.Carl discusses his evolving role in retail education, including his work at McGill University and teaching in Asia. He shares how his exposure to different global markets, particularly in Vietnam, has shaped his perspectives on

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00:42:40

Vancouver's Innovative Retail Crime Fighting...

The Voice of Retail ·

2025/01/24

In this episode, meet Sgt. Craig Reynolds & Arezo Zarrabian, a Senior Crime Analyst from the Vancouver Police Department. Together, they take us behind the scenes for a comprehensive discussion of both the criminal justice system & an update reflecting the work of their innovative and data-driven task force, Project Barcode, investigating and fighting violent retail crime on the streets of Vancouver. https://vpd.ca/news/2024/06/06/vpd-targets-downtown-eastside-fencing-operations/Michael LeBlanc is

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00:30:19

A Modern Take on Retail Media with Drew Cashmore,...

The Voice of Retail ·

2025/01/17

In this episode of The Voice of Retail, Michael LeBlanc sits down with Drew Cashmore, a retail media pioneer whose career spans over 15 years, including roles at Walmart and Vantage. Drew discusses his journey from building Walmart Canada’s advertising business to spearheading Walmart Connect in the U.S., scaling it into a multi-billion-dollar retail media platform.The conversation delves into retail media’s evolution—bridging traditional shopper marketing and sophisticated, data-driven advertising

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00:21:43

Fail Better: Special Guest Host Bonus Episode with...

The Voice of Retail ·

2025/01/10

If you have been following this short special series—or if you just think about what distinguishes organizations that are winning the future from the also-rans, it is very often that they act more boldly, they take more chances, they fail regularly, they adjust, they fail some more.They believe, as my friend Seth Godin says, “if failure is not an option, then neither is success.” Our mission, should we choose to accept it, is not to avoid failure; it is to fail better. But what does this mean, why

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00:17:30

Safe Is Risky: Special Guest Host Bonus Episode with...

The Voice of Retail ·

2025/01/08

Clayton Christensen, the late great Harvard Business School professor, wrote one of the best business strategy books of all time. In his classic "The Innovator's Dilemma" he explains how successful companies often fail by becoming overly locked into their established business models and optimizing the heck out of them, thereby ignoring, more risky disruptive innovations.Of course, back in 1997, when Christensen's book first started to have impact, e-commerce was in its infancy, smart devices were a

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00:22:23

I Love You. But You Are Not Serious People: Special...

The Voice of Retail ·

2025/01/06

Something different for this Holiday season on the #pod as I head into my eighth year of The Voice of Retail and prepare for the year ahead - a guest host, cross-over thought leader insight bonus series of episodes from my award-winning Remarkable Retail #podcast. This past summer, Steve Dennis and I released a series of six bonus episodes with leadership insights adapted from his newest best-seller, Leaders Leap.Remember a few years ago when everyone was talking about a retail apocalypse? Physical

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00:21:31

I'm The Problem. It's Me. Special Guest Host Bonus...

The Voice of Retail ·

2025/01/03

Something different for this Holiday season on the #pod as I head into my eighth year of The Voice of Retail and prepare for the year ahead - a guest host, cross-over thought leader insight bonus series of episodes from my award-winning Remarkable Retail #podcast. This past summer, Steve Dennis and I released a series of six bonus episodes with leadership insights adapted from his newest best-seller, Leaders Leap.In his new book Leaders Leap, Steve proposes a series of 7 Mind Leaps that are

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00:19:37

Shift Happens: Special Guest Host Bonus Episode

The Voice of Retail ·

2024/12/30

Something different for this Holiday season on the #pod as I head into my eighth year of The Voice of Retail and prepare for the year ahead - a guest host, cross-over thought leader insight bonus series of episodes from my award-winning Remarkable Retail #podcast. This past summer, Steve Dennis and I released a series of six bonus episodes with leadership insights adapted from his newest best-seller, Leaders Leap.Having spent most of his career working in either senior leadership positions at a

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00:17:04

Our Bold New Plan To Suck Less: Special Guest Host...

The Voice of Retail ·

2024/12/27

Something different for this Holiday season on the #pod as I head into my eighth year of The Voice of Retail and prepare for the year ahead - a guest host, cross-over thought leader insight bonus series of episodes from my award-winning Remarkable Retail #podcast. This past summer, Steve Dennis and I released a series of six bonus episodes with leadership insights adapted from his newest best-seller, Leaders Leap. In a world where anything less than delivering highly differentiated and truly

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00:42:51

AI in Retail: Proof of Concept to Production with...

The Voice of Retail ·

2024/12/20

Recorded live on the stage at the Retail West conference in Vancouver in November, joining me after a brief introduction by RCC's excellent Greg Wilson, Director of Government Affairs for B.C., is Cari Covent, Head of Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technology, Canadian Tire Corporation. Together, we explore the importance of taking a holistic approach to embracing AI for retailers, the importance of change management, starting small with automating routine tasks that can ladder up to more

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00:35:22

Taylor Swift Takes Toronto, Black Friday_Cyber Monday...

The Voice of Retail ·

2024/12/13

On this episode, I welcome Sean McCormack, Vice President Business Development from Moneris Data Services, for a deep dive into the numbers behind consumer behaviour during the holiday season and beyond. Together, we unpack the fascinating data-driven impact of Taylor Swift's Toronto tour, which saw local spending skyrocket by an impressive 45% in downtown areas. Sean shares how payment insights reveal trends across hotels, restaurants, retail, and even specialty sectors like jewelry and

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00:40:37

Meet the Hosts of The She Means Business Podcast,...

The Voice of Retail ·

2024/12/06

Welcome to this entertaining and insightful episode as I chat with the hosts of The She Means Business Podcast, a new and welcome addition to the Canadian podcasting universe focussed on aspiring leaders looking for inspiration, motivation and mentorship in the business world, co-hosted by Gail Banack and Ilana Santone. Gail and Ilana also happen to be two of Canada's foremost retail leaders, with tours of duty at Loblaw, Home Depot, Target Canada, Indigo, and Canadian Tire between them. Gail was

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00:25:04

A Fresh Take on Retail Leadership with Deb Craven,...

The Voice of Retail ·

2024/11/29

Meet Deb Craven, President of Longo's, one of Canada's most popular grocery stores with dozens of locations and more on the way across Southern Ontario. I joined Deb in the Longo's Store Support offices, and we talked about leadership and what it takes to innovate and compete in the crowded Southern Ontario grocery marketplace. Encore Episode. About DebDeb Craven is a seasoned executive with decades of progressive experience. She has built an incredible career grounded in hard work, supportive

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00:50:12

The State & Dynamic Nature of Canadian Demographics...

The Voice of Retail ·

2024/11/22

In this episode, a pickup of an RCC livestream I hosted in November 2024, Doug Norris, Senior Vice President and Chief Demographer with Environics Analytics and nationally renowned expert on the Canadian Census and demographic trends, with 40+ years of experience in social statistics, takes us through the current state of demographics in Canada.About DougOne of Canada’s leading experts on the Census, Doug Norris, Ph.D., is a Senior Vice President and Chief Demographer at Environics Analytics. He

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00:28:35

Yorkdale Uncovered: The Secrets Behind Canada's Most...

The Voice of Retail ·

2024/11/15

In this episode of the Voice of Retail podcast, Yorkdale Shopping Centre's VP and GM, Michael Renaud, provides insights into what makes Yorkdale a top shopping destination in North America. Located in Toronto, the center sees 18 million visitors annually and generates $2,400 per square foot, making it Canada's most productive mall. Renault attributes Yorkdale's success to its prime location, curated mix of luxury and essential retailers, and a commitment to experiential shopping. Initially opened in

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00:28:54

Getting Smart About AI for Retail with Rob Dunlap,...

The Voice of Retail ·

2024/11/08

In this episode, Rob Dunlap, Generative AI Practice Leader, IBM explores how AI can offer retailers a genuine ability to revolutionize their business processes and models and help drive leaps of productivity across various aspects of their business, including personalized recommendations, predictive inventory management, automated customer service, and intelligent fraud detection. Rob and I will explore the evolving power of AI to augment human expertise, reduce costs, and create seamless, unified

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00:32:20

Eric Morris, MD & Head of Retail, Google Canada on...

The Voice of Retail ·

2024/11/01

In this engaging interview, Eric Morris, Managing Director of Google Retail in Canada, shares holiday season insights for retailers. Leveraging over two decades of experience at Google, Eric discusses the critical role of personalization, AI, and content-driven strategies in meeting the evolving demands of Canadian consumers. Noting that holiday shopping habits are shaped by weather, calendar shifts, and economic indicators, he emphasizes the need for real-time adaptation.Morris highlights how

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00:56:52

RCC + Leger 2024 Holiday Consumer Survey with Luc...

The Voice of Retail ·

2024/10/25

On this episode a recording of the RCC x Leger Holiday Shopping livestream dissecting the 7th annual, 2024 RCC+ Leger Holiday Shopping Survey. We discuss holiday shopping dynamics and navigate what sales and value mean this year, gift card preferences, online vs. in-store shopping trends, and key factors driving retailer choices.My guests Luc Dumont Senior Vice President, Insights and Andrian Buchmann AVP from Leger & Sean McCormick, Vice President Business Development from Moneris Data Services

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00:25:46

ENCORE EPISODE: Michael Bungay Stanier & How to Work...

The Voice of Retail ·

2024/10/18

In this special ENCORE EPISODE worth a second, or perhaps your first listen, meet Toronto-based Michael Bungay Stanier, best known for The Coaching Habit, the best-selling coaching book of the century, today talking with me about his most recent book, How to Work with (Almost) Anyone. It's a fantastic conversation. Michael is a thoughtful and engaging guest, and we talk about the hard truth: most of us leave the health and fate of our at-work relationships to chance. We say "Hi," exchange

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113 results

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