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.
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Nov 13, 2026 · 36:00
Simone’s career spans packaged-goods marketing, telecom and now Canadian Tire. A desire for better customer data drove each move. That background shapes how she runs Triangle…
Nov 6, 2026 · 34:21
Andrew has spent three decades in UK retail and retail technology, from running IT operations at Superdrug to advising tier-one retailers on behalf of technology vendors. Today…
Oct 30, 2026 · 30:44
Retail crime costs Canadian retailers $9 billion a year, and that’s before a single dollar is spent on prevention. In Part 2 of my conversation with Kim Furlong, President and…
Oct 23, 2026 · 28:55
What does it take to change how a country sees its largest private-sector employer? Kim Furlong, President & CEO of Retail Council of Canada, joins Michael LeBlanc on The Voice…
Oct 16, 2026 · 32:20
Maxime Cohen, academic director of McGill’s Bensadoun School of Retail Management, has spent 16 years at the intersection of pricing, retail operations and AI. He and Michael…
Oct 9, 2026 · 30:21
Canadian holiday shoppers aren’t retreating this season. They’re recalibrating. Suzana Colic, Managing Director and Retail Industry Lead at Accenture Canada, joins Michael…
Oct 2, 2026 · 31:22
Andrew Clarke brings 30 years of retail experience. He started out delivering eggs for his family's business near Cheddar, England, then worked as a merchandiser at Marks &…
Sep 25, 2026 · 46:05
How does an iconic Canadian outdoor retailer turn a return to Canadian ownership into lasting growth? On this episode of The Voice of Retail, host Michael LeBlanc sits down with…
Sep 18, 2026 · 36:44
AI-powered discovery is no longer niche behaviour. It's now a mainstream step in the shopping journey, and holiday 2026 will be the first peak season where retailers compete for…
Sep 11, 2026 · 20:06
Sustainability in retail and consumer packaged goods has spent years filed under advocacy, reporting and good intentions. Ann Tracy, Chief Sustainability Officer at…
Sep 4, 2026 · 30:05
How do you lead when trust in business, government, and media is at a generational low? On this episode of The Voice of Retail, host Michael LeBlanc welcomes Keith Wyche, Fortune…
Aug 21, 2026 · 31:03
In this Encore episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc sits down with Liza Amlani, Chief Merchant and Principal of Retail Strategy Group , who returns to the…
Aug 7, 2026 · 27:51
Why do smart strategies fail so often? According to Kevin Ertell, the problem isn’t a lack of ideas—it’s execution. In this Encore episode of The Voice of Retail , Michael…
Jul 24, 2026 · 26:56
Why do most new products fail — even when they solve a real problem? In this episode of The Voice of Retail, presented by Konek – Canada's way to pay. Visit Konek.ca to learn…
Jul 10, 2026 · 32:59
In this episode of The Voice of Retail podcast, host Michael LeBlanc sits down with one of retail technology's most accomplished leaders: Julie Averill, former Chief Information…
Jun 26, 2026 · 30:55
In this Encore episode of The Voice of Retail, I’m joined by James B. Smith, Founder and CEO of Rare Placement, for a wide-ranging conversation on modern leadership, executive…
Jun 19, 2026 · 35:54
Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming retail, but are retailers giving away too much decision-making power to algorithms? On this episode of The Voice of Retail, host…
Jun 12, 2026 · 53:27
In this very special live edition of The Voice of Retail podcast — the first live recording in nearly 550 episodes on the main-stage at Retaiul Council of Canada's STORE…
Jun 5, 2026 · 31:30
As global trade faces unprecedented disruption, international eCommerce remains one of the most compelling growth opportunities for retailers and brands. On this episode of The…
May 29, 2026 · 28:46
On this episode of The Voice of Retail, host Michael LeBlanc welcomes Jackie Swanson, Managing Partner at Gartner Consulting, for a wide-ranging and highly practical conversation…
May 22, 2026 · 24:31
On this episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc welcomes back Deb Craven to the podcast, President of Longo’s and Retail Council of Canada’s Distinguished Retailer…
May 15, 2026 · 31:23
On this episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc sits down with Stephen Bailey, Chief Marketing Officer of Vancouver's John Fluevog Shoes—one of North America’s most…
May 8, 2026 · 44:36
Recorded live from the stage at the SIAL Innovation Show in Montreal, this special episode of The Voice of Retail dives headfirst into one of the most disruptive forces reshaping…
May 1, 2026 · 24:53
In this high-energy live episode of The Voice of Retail , Michael welcomes two dynamic voices shaping the future of retail and consumer brands: Jake Karls and Carl Boutet.…
Apr 24, 2026 · 30:45
In this special ENCORE episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc sits down with Mat Povse, President of Best Buy Canada , live on the stage in Vancouver at Retail…
Apr 17, 2026 · 36:54
In this special cross-over episode from the Global eCommerce Leaders podcast from the Global eCommerce Leaders Podcast , hosts Michael LeBlanc and Jim Okamura welcome Jes…
Apr 10, 2026 · 21:09
In this episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc sits down with Rohit Sriram, Senior Vice-President eCommerce at Loblaw Companies Limited , for an exclusive preview…
Apr 3, 2026 · 29:21
In this episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc welcomes Trinadha Kandi, Managing Director – Customer & Marketing at Deloitte Digital, for a deep dive into how…
Mar 27, 2026 · 27:26
In this special ENCORE episode of The Voice of Retail , Michael LeBlanc sits down with Mark Ryski, Founder & CEO of HeadCount and three-time retail author , to explore why store…
Mar 20, 2026 · 29:16
In this special ENCORE episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc sits down with Jean-Pierre Lacroix, President of SLD (Shikatani Lacroix Design) and keynote speaker…
Mar 13, 2026 · 35:23
Recorded live in person at Hopson Grace in Toronto, this inspiring episode of The Voice of Retail features host Michael LeBlanc sitting down with two leaders who are shaping the…
Mar 6, 2026 · 31:14
Retail crime in Canada has reached a critical point. In this episode of The Voice of Retail podcast , host Michael LeBlanc welcomes back Rui Rodrigues , a veteran loss prevention…
Feb 27, 2026 · 28:02
Recorded live at the NRF Big Show in New York, this episode of The Voice of Retail features Matthew Guiste, Global Retail Technology Strategist at Zebra Technologies , for a…
Feb 20, 2026 · 31:36
In this episode of The Voice of Retail , Michael LeBlanc sits down with Tara Conway, retail strategist and co-founder of Commerce Rewired, for a wide-ranging discussion on AI in…
Feb 13, 2026 · 19:48
Recorded live at the NRF Big Show in the Narvar podcast studio, Michael LeBlanc sits down with Rachel J. Calhoun, Global Leader, Retail, Consumer Goods & Travel at Kyndryl , for…
Feb 6, 2026 · 27:01
Why do smart strategies fail so often? According to Kevin Ertell, the problem isn’t a lack of ideas—it’s execution. In this episode of The Voice of Retail , Michael LeBlanc sits…
Jan 30, 2026 · 26:36
Recorded live from the Narvar podcasting studio at the NRF Big Show in New York, this 500th episode of The Voice of Retail features Michael LeBlanc in conversation with Jim…
Jan 23, 2026 · 34:13
In this episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc is joined by Jayme Johnson, Partner and Industry Leader, Consumer and Travel & Transportation Industries, IBM…
Jan 16, 2026 · 22:59
Live from NRF, The Voice of Retail welcomes Caila Schwartz, Director of Consumer Insights and Strategy at Salesforce , for a data-driven conversation on what truly shaped Holiday…
Jan 9, 2026 · 27:55
In the first episode of The Voice of Retail for 2026, host Michael LeBlanc is joined by John Bayliss, Chief Executive Officer of Mastermind Toys , for an in-depth conversation on…
Dec 19, 2025 · 33:12
In this timely episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc is joined by Aamir Lakhani, Global Director of Threat Intelligence and Artificial Intelligence at Fortinet,…
Dec 12, 2025 · 30:53
In this episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc sits down with Mat Povse, President of Best Buy Canada , live on the stage in Vancouver at Retail Council of…
Dec 5, 2025 · 22:53
The Voice of Retail welcomes back Sean McCormick, Vice President, Business Development, Moneris Data Services , for a fast-moving, data-rich breakdown of the most closely watched…
Nov 28, 2025 · 30:34
In the latest episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc sits down with Liza Amlani, Chief Merchant and Principal of Retail Strategy Group , who returns to the podcast…
Nov 21, 2025 · 33:20
In this engaging and wide-ranging episode of The Voice of Retail , Michael reconnects with Selwyn Crittendon, CEO and Chief Sustainability Officer for IKEA Canada , nearly two…
Nov 14, 2025 · 36:05
In this highly anticipated annual episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc welcomes back Eric Morris, Managing Director of Retail at Google Canada , to unpack…
Nov 7, 2025 · 27:25
In this episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc sits down with Elisa Swern, National Consumer Markets Leader at PwC Canada , to unpack the insights behind PwC’s…
Oct 31, 2025 · 35:23
Recorded live in person at Hopson Grace in Toronto, this inspiring episode of The Voice of Retail features host Michael LeBlanc sitting down with two leaders who are shaping the…
Oct 24, 2025 · 32:01
In this insightful episode of The Voice of Retail podcast, host Michael LeBlanc welcomes Malin Andrée , EY Global, EMEIA and Nordics Retail Leader , and Jon Copestake , EY Global…
Oct 17, 2025 · 29:16
In this compelling new episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc sits down with Jean-Pierre Lacroix, President of SLD (Shikatani Lacroix Design) —a global design…
Oct 10, 2025 · 34:17
In this must-listen episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc welcomes back Rob Garf , now VP and Head of Industry Strategy at Cordial , to discuss how artificial…
Oct 3, 2025 · 33:01
In this episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc sits down with Chris Parsons, VP Partner Growth & Marketing at Hale Performance Marketing and author of the new book…
Sep 26, 2025 · 32:02
In this episode of The Voice of Retail Podcast , host Michael LeBlanc sits down with Michael Zabaneh, Vice President, Sustainability at the Retail Council of Canada , for an…
Sep 19, 2025 · 35:02
In this episode of The Voice of Retail podcast , host Michael LeBlanc sits down in person with Sebastian Picardo, President & CEO of Holt Renfrew , to explore the evolution of…
Sep 12, 2025 · 27:26
In this episode of The Voice of Retail , Michael LeBlanc sits down with Mark Ryski, Founder & CEO of HeadCount and three-time retail author , to explore why store traffic remains…
Sep 5, 2025 · 29:00
In this dynamic episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc welcomes Fawad Baig, Retail Industry Lead, Accenture Canada , to unpack Accenture’s latest global consumer…
Aug 29, 2025 · 33:23
In this episode of The Voice of Retail podcast, host Michael LeBlanc welcomes back retail strategist, educator, and thought leader David Ian Gray , Principal of DIG360 Consulting…
Aug 22, 2025 · 27:17
On this encore episode Michael LeBlanc welcomes Carson Arthur, media personality and independent retailer, and the founder of Carson’s Garden & Market in Prince Edward County .…
Aug 15, 2025 · 29:21
In this captivating episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc sits down with Cameron Conn , CEO of Champlain Apparel , to explore an extraordinary career journey that…
Aug 8, 2025 · 35:08
Retail success isn't just about having a fantastic product—it's about understanding the business of selling. On this special encore episode of The Voice of Retail , I welcome…
Aug 1, 2025 · 39:45
On this Encore episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc speaks with retail strategist, professor, and author Carl Boutet about his journey in academia and his latest…
Jul 25, 2025 · 30:42
In this episode of The Voice of Retail , I’m thrilled to welcome back Chris Jones, Founder and CEO of Cannabis Xpress, for his third appearance on the show. Chris offers an…
Jul 18, 2025 · 25:15
In this special live episode of The Voice of Retail , recorded at RCC STORE 2025 , I sit down with two retail thought leaders: Simone Lumsden , Senior Vice-President, Triangle…
Jul 11, 2025 · 30:55
In this episode of The Voice of Retail, I’m joined by James B. Smith, Founder and CEO of Rare Placement, for a wide-ranging conversation on modern leadership, executive search,…
Jul 4, 2025 · 39:45
In this special encore episode of The Voice of Retail , recorded live at the Cox School of Business at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, host Michael LeBlanc is joined by…
Jun 27, 2025 · 28:57
In this must-listen episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc is joined by seasoned retail strategist Jim Okamura , Partner at McMillan Doolittle and Co-Founder of…
Jun 20, 2025 · 29:49
In this powerhouse episode of The Voice of Retail , I sit down with Sharon Gai, an international keynote speaker, AI expert, former Alibaba executive, and recent keynote speaker…
Jun 13, 2025 · 42:40
In this encore episode of The Voice of Retail from January 2025 , I’m joined by Sergeant Craig Reynolds and Arezo Zarrabian , Senior Crime Analyst at the Vancouver Police…
Jun 6, 2025 · 31:39
In this exclusive interview, I chat with Peter Hlynsky, CEO of MEC (Mountain Equipment Company), one of Canada's most iconic outdoor retailers. Peter shares his remarkable…
May 30, 2025 · 34:21
In this energizing and thought-provoking episode, I welcome back Ron Thurston, bestselling author, veteran retail executive, and passionate advocate for the frontline retail…
May 23, 2025 · 28:21
In this episode, Jenn Harper, founder and CEO of Cheekbone Beauty Cosmetics and 2025 recipient of Retail Council Canada's Independent Retail Ambassador of the Year award, joins…
May 16, 2025 · 22:01
In this exclusive episode of The Voice of Retail podcast, host Michael LeBlanc interviews Karl Haller, Partner at IBM Consulting and leader of their retail and consumer products…
May 9, 2025 · 23:31
In this timely episode of The Voice of Retail, host Michael LeBlanc welcomes back frequent guest and audience favorite Ira Kalish, Chief Global and US Economist for Deloitte, who…
May 2, 2025 · 28:11
🎧 Encore Episode Alert! Revisit one of our most popular conversations from Fall 2024 as I sit down with Michon Williams, Chief Technology Officer at Walmart Canada , for a…
Apr 25, 2025 · 29:50
In this compelling episode of The Voice of Retail , I sit down again and catch up with Emma May, Founder of SophieGrace, a Calgary-based fashion brand transforming professional…
Apr 18, 2025 · 37:13
In this compelling encore episode of The Voice of Retail , I reconnect with Craig Baxter, Group President of Techtronic Industries Canada Inc., a division of the $13.7 billion…
Apr 11, 2025 · 28:32
In this enlightening episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc interviews Anabel Maldonado , Founder and CEO of PSYKHE AI , a company at the forefront of using…
Apr 4, 2025 · 32:53
In the latest episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc sits down with Phil Wahba, Senior Writer at Fortune , to explore the ever-evolving landscape of retail…
Mar 28, 2025 · 29:00
In this special encore episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc welcomes Dr. Rebecca Homkes, a globally recognized high-growth strategy expert and author of the…
Mar 21, 2025 · 30:01
In the latest episode of The Voice of Retail , host Michael LeBlanc speaks with Yale Holder, Vice President of Customer Experience at Moneris , about emerging retail fraud…
Mar 14, 2025 · 18:49
In the latest groundbreaking episode of The Voice of Retail podcast, host Michael LeBlanc presents a true innovation in nearly 500 episodes of broadcasting – the first 100%…
Mar 7, 2025 · 25:30
In this episode, I welcome back Albert Chow, co-founder & CEO of Silk & Snow, to explore the company’s dramatic evolution from a digital-native sleep brand to a powerhouse in…
Feb 28, 2025 · 31:06
In this episode I welcome Lindsey Mazza Capgemini's Global Retail Lead, to explore the latest findings from their annual What Matters to Today's Consumer report. The conversation…
Feb 21, 2025 · 29:04
In this episode of The Voice of Retail , I sit down with Cheryl Ong Seng, Vice President of Retail at Circana, to explore the latest trends shaping the Canadian retail landscape.…
Feb 14, 2025 · 35:08
Retail success isn't just about having a fantastic product—it's about understanding the business of selling. On this episode of The Voice of Retail , I welcome Liza Amlani,…
Feb 7, 2025 · 39:09
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…
Jan 31, 2025 · 39:45
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…
Jan 24, 2025 · 42:40
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…
Jan 17, 2025 · 30:19
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…
Jan 10, 2025 · 21:43
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…
Jan 8, 2025 · 17:30
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…
Jan 6, 2025 · 22:23
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…
Jan 3, 2025 · 21:31
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…
Dec 30, 2024 · 19:37
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…
Dec 27, 2024 · 17:04
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…
Dec 20, 2024 · 42:51
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…
Dec 13, 2024 · 35:22
On this episode, I welcome Sean McCormick, Vice President Business Development from Moneris Data Services, for a deep dive into the numbers behind consumer behaviour during the…
Dec 6, 2024 · 40:37
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…
Nov 29, 2024 · 25:04
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…
Nov 22, 2024 · 50:12
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…
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