Delivering the Future: Canada Post

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 the Global E-commerce Leaders Forum (GELF). Recorded live at the CommerceNext show in New York City, the two Canadians delve deeply into the current and future state of retail, blending global expertise with practical insights from the ground up.The conversation begins with Jim's background and a look at McMillan Doolittle's role in driving innovation across various retail formats. Known for their globally respected annual Retail Innovations report, Jim explains how international partners nominate the most forward-thinking concepts, regardless of whether they achieve commercial success. From trailblazing store formats, such as Printemps' architectural marvel in Manhattan, to localization strategies that shape international brand launches, Jim shares examples that reflect where retail is headed next.The duo then shifts to a frank discussion about the collapse of Hudson's Bay and what it signals for the broader department store format. Comparing North American challenges with the success of Japanese models that utilize a leased brand approach, Jim highlights how changing consumer behaviour—especially in beauty and apparel—has fragmented traditional retail categories. He argues that the decline of department stores is less a retail apocalypse and more a natural part of the lifecycle of formats.As the conversation moves to unified commerce and digital transformation, Jim emphasizes that success isn't just about tech—it's about culture. Companies that embrace a testing and analytics-driven mindset have a competitive edge. He also discusses the generational shift in expectations, including the normalization of paid same-hour delivery via platforms like DoorDash and Uber Eats.The episode wraps with insights from GELF's work helping global brands expand across borders. Jim reveals how localization, unified commerce strategies, and innovative partnerships with distributors are fueling cross-border growth—even amid global trade uncertainty. With AI, logistics disruptions, and rising tariffs reshaping the terrain, Jim calls for nimble thinking and sharper execution from brands and their ecosystems.This rich, wide-ranging discussion offers a panoramic view of retail's past, present, and future—making it essential listening for anyone navigating the changing commerce landscape. Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

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 on the stage at the Retail Council of Canada's STORE2025, for an illuminating conversation on the future of retail in the age of artificial intelligence. Joining from São Paulo, Sharon offers a global lens on how retailers must rethink customer engagement, merchandising, and data infrastructure to remain competitive. We begin by tracing Sharon's fascinating origin story—from her Canadian roots in Vancouver and her education at McGill to an unexpected recruitment by Alibaba. She takes us behind the curtain of Chinese tech culture, describing a world of intense work ethics, hyper-growth, and an ecosystem where AI doesn't just support retail—it drives it. Sharon explains how AI has evolved beyond personalization into what she calls "agentic AI"—systems that not only predict behaviour but act on a shopper's behalf. She warns that retailers who don't maintain pristine product data and detailed PDPs (Product Detail Pages) risk being invisible in LLM-powered answer engines like ChatGPT or Claude. We delve into the differences between Chinese and Western retail, highlighting trends such as the viral "blind box" concept and video commerce that thrive in digital-first cultures. Sharon also shares her learnings from a cross-cultural brand project with Huggies, emphasizing the power of creativity, unpredictability, and localized storytelling.The episode also features insight into a recent Retail Council of Canada panel Sharon led, with Canadian Tire's chatbot innovation and Showcase's trend-driven merchandising model serving as prime examples of AI-enabled transformation at home.Sharon leaves listeners with practical advice: embrace AI not just for customer-facing features but also as a powerful internal tool for cost-cutting and productivity. And beware of the trap of sameness—when everyone is using AI to write duplicate emails and social posts, true differentiation comes from creativity and strategic insight.Whether you're a retail exec, digital strategist, or tech-curious brand builder, this episode delivers a rich, global perspective on what's next for commerce—and what it takes to stay ahead.https://youtu.be/0zdLv0mz29YSharon Gai helps organizations do more with less using AI. In her tenure at Alibaba, she advised brands and heads of state in crafting their digital strategy with programmatic marketing and AI. She has worked with TEDx, Singularity University, UBS, Deloitte, Walmart, LVMH, Nestle, Coca Cola, Lenovo, and many others. She is in the AAE list of Top Keynote Speakers in 2023. She has appeared on Bloomberg, Reuters, ABC, CBC, CCTV, TechCrunch, Retail Asia, Wired, and The Next Web. She is the author of the book, Ecommerce Reimagined. Sharon has an Honors Bachelor’s degree in International Development from McGill and a Masters in Information Management from Columbia University. When she is not speaking, she is jamming on electric keyboards with her band, writing jokes for her stand up comedy set or sharing tips on how to get ahead in AI at sharongai.comLinkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sharongaiInstagram: https://instagram.com/sharong.ai   Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

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 Department, for an exclusive look inside Project Barcode—a pioneering effort to combat organized retail crime in Vancouver.Sparked by a staggering 260% increase in retail theft involving weapons, Project Barcode was launched in 2021 and has evolved into a city-wide operation. Combining targeted police action, strategic analytics, and cross-agency collaboration, the project has become a blueprint for combating retail crime across Canada—and beyond.Craig and Arezo take us behind the scenes of Barcode’s design and deployment. With more than 1,400 arrests, 166 repeat offenders apprehended, and $1.4 million in goods and criminal assets recovered, Project Barcode is delivering measurable results. Arezo’s data-driven insights guide every phase—from identifying hotspots by time and geography, to profiling offender patterns and predicting retail theft surges. One key innovation? Deploying officers based on real-time trends, such as peak theft hours or common entry points into the city.Yet the team doesn’t just tackle frontline offenders. A major focus is upstream—targeting fences and organized resellers who drive demand for stolen goods. With the help of anti-fencing units and civil forfeiture laws, Project Barcode has disrupted the black-market supply chain while building stronger partnerships with the retail community.Craig and Arezo also share deeply human perspectives on the systemic issues behind the crimes: homelessness, addiction, lack of mental health support, and underfunded social services. They stress that many offenders are exploited and desperate—often stealing not out of greed, but obligation to pay off debts. They advocate for wraparound solutions that go beyond law enforcement, including judicial reform, community policing, and better data sharing.The episode closes with a look ahead: more coordination, smarter deployment, and a renewed call for nationwide efforts to recognize retail crime as a serious threat to public safety and economic stability.If you’re a retailer, policymaker, or security professional, this is essential listening on how cities can combine compassion, innovation, and accountability to fight retail crime—and win. Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

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 journey from CFO to CEO over five years at MEC, detailing his passion for the outdoors that initially drew him to the company rather than retail specifically.MEC's origin story is captivating - it began in the early 1970s, when University of British Columbia students drove to REI in Washington, bought climbing gear, and sold it from their van on campus. This evolved into Canada's premier outdoor retail cooperative with 21 stores by 2020, becoming what Peter describes as "a candy store for the outdoors."The company's unique employee culture sets MEC apart in the competitive outdoor retail landscape. Staff members genuinely live the lifestyle they sell through "Rad Days" - paid outdoor adventures where employees test gear and bring back real-world experiences. This authentic product knowledge enables staff to provide honest recommendations, sometimes even steering customers away from products that don't fit their specific needs.Peter discusses MEC's significant transformation from a member-owned cooperative to a private company, maintaining the "member" terminology and benefits that resonate with Canadian consumers. The recently relaunched membership program includes purchase-based discounts, exclusive access to popular store events, and MEC's legendary "rock solid guarantee" - one of the industry's most comprehensive return policies.A significant development is MEC's return to Canadian ownership after being acquired by private equity in 2020. Peter and Chief Merchandising Officer Chris Beyer joined the new Canadian ownership group, led by Tim Gu, bringing manufacturing expertise that is particularly valuable for MEC's private label products, which comprise one-third of their business alongside branded products from Patagonia, Arc'teryx, and Yeti.The merchandising strategy balances premium branded products with MEC's highly-regarded private label offerings, providing similar quality at lower prices without wholesale markups. This combination creates a compelling value proposition that competitors struggle to match.Looking ahead, Peter sees significant growth opportunities as competitors exit the market following the COVID-19 pandemic. Atmosphere closed standalone stores, and regional players shuttered operations, creating organic growth potential. MEC plans opportunistic store expansion in underserved Canadian markets, capitalizing on available real estate from retailer closures.Peter's retail advice emphasizes focusing relentlessly on core competencies rather than chasing trending business models. For MEC, this means maintaining its specialty outdoor retailer identity through exceptional in-store service, curated product assortments, and a consistent customer experience across all channels.The episode highlights how authentic brand positioning, employee engagement, and customer-centric policies can sustain competitive advantages in challenging retail environments. MEC's successful transition from a cooperative to a company while preserving its brand values demonstrates effective change management in retail transformation. Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

In this energizing and thought-provoking episode, I welcome back Ron Thurston, bestselling author, veteran retail executive, and passionate advocate for the frontline retail workforce. With the launch of his second book, Human Pride: Optimizing Your Human Potential in a Digital Job Market, Ron brings a refreshing, people-centric perspective to leadership and career development in the era of AI, automation, and gig work.Michael and Ron discuss the implications of the rising prevalence of gig work, how many retailers are reverting to "COVID playbooks" with minimal staffing, and the importance of treating even temporary team members as valuable contributors. Ron shares powerful insights on how a simple, intentional 60-second conversation can dramatically transform an employee's sense of pride and purpose—emphasizing the importance of human-to-human leadership even amidst operational speed.The heart of the episode is Ron's deep dive into Human Pride, a follow-up to his 2020 bestseller Retail Pride. Ron explains how this new book expands his message beyond the retail sector, encouraging readers to reflect on their values, refine their personal stories, and lead with purpose. He emphasizes the importance of storytelling in both job interviews and team leadership, describing it as an underutilized yet transformative tool.Ron and Michael also reflect on Ron's first book tour, where he crisscrossed the U.S. in an Airstream and F-150 to connect with frontline retail workers, and what he learned about the commonalities shared across the industry, from Walmart to luxury brands. Ron emphasizes the importance of leaders being curious, asking thoughtful questions, and helping team members discover their strengths through storytelling and open dialogue.Whether you're a retail executive, HR leader, or just navigating today's job market, this episode offers timely and timeless advice on how to show up with pride, lead with humanity, and build a more resilient workforce.Buy Ron's eBook on IndigoBuy Ron's Book on Amazon Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

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 me on the mic. Our inspiring conversation explores Jenn's remarkable journey from food industry sales to building a nationally recognized Indigenous beauty brand now available in Sephora, Canada, and JCPenney.Jenn's entrepreneurial story begins with a vivid dream in January 2015 featuring Indigenous girls covered in lip gloss, just months after she got sober from battling alcoholism. Her discovery of generational trauma stemming from her grandparents' residential school experience became the driving force behind creating a brand that could break cycles and build something meaningful for Indigenous communities.The conversation reveals how personal tragedy - losing her brother BJ to suicide just before launching - nearly ended the venture but ultimately became the motivation to persevere through countless challenges. Jenn candidly discusses the mental resilience required for entrepreneurship, comparing the journey to Nike founder Phil Knight's struggles detailed in "Shoe Dog."Cheekbone Beauty has carved out a unique position in the competitive cosmetics market by pioneering what Jenn calls "indigenous beauty" - products that are clean and safe for humans and genuinely sustainable for the planet. The brand eliminates harmful ingredients like dimethicone and isodiacaine that negatively impact aquatic ecosystems, directly connecting to Indigenous land stewardship values.Jenn shares crucial insights about customer loyalty and product-market fit, revealing their impressive 55-65% customer return rate compared to the industry average of 30%. Their hero product, the UniFi complexion pencils, has revolutionized how customers think about the foundation by promoting natural skin visibility while providing beneficial skincare properties.The discussion covers modern marketing realities for independent brands, with Jenn emphasizing that authentic user-generated content from real customers far outperforms expensive influencer campaigns. She details costly lessons learned from failed marketing initiatives in 2024, confirming that scrappy, organic marketing remains most effective for small brands.Jenn positions artificial intelligence as essential for competitive survival while acknowledging environmental concerns that sustainable businesses must consider in their impact reporting. She views AI as potentially levelling the playing field initially, though she expects larger corporations to capitalize on these tools quickly.The episode provides valuable advice for fellow entrepreneurs, with Jenn emphasizing speed and leveraging available tools while learning from mistakes quickly. Jenn's target demographic of 35-55-year-old women challenges assumptions about indigenous beauty brands, with Fair Shades being their top sellers.This conversation offers inspiration and practical insights for independent retailers, beauty entrepreneurs, and anyone interested in building purpose-driven businesses that create positive community impact while achieving commercial success. Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

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 center of competency, ahead of his highly anticipated keynote presentation at Retail Council of Canada's STORE2025 conference on June 3rd.With nearly 30 years of retail experience at brands including Brooks Brothers, Tommy Hilfiger, and Karl Lagerfeld, Haller brings unique insights at the intersection of retail business and technology to one of Canada's premier retail events.Haller, who will take the main stage following fellow keynote speaker Ira Kalish, positions AI as "the biggest transformation that any of us have seen in our careers," comparing its significance to the advent of computing in the 1970s. While acknowledging the hype surrounding AI, he maintains that we're in the early stages of a fundamental shift in how retail operates—a message he'll expand upon at the STORE2025 conference.When discussing strategy during uncertain times, Haller advises retailers to focus on action rather than extensive planning: "If you've got a million dollars to spend, spend a million dollars on 100 MVPs. Don't spend a million dollars on an AI strategy project because it's going to be out of date by the time you've done it." He recommends scenario planning with clear indicators that can guide decision-making in unpredictable environments.Looking at retail formats, Haller notes that success isn't determined by format alone but by how retailers innovate within their sector. He highlights Walmart's nimble approach to technology implementation, PepsiCo's management of their extensive logistics network, and innovative approaches from companies like Unilever and Kroger.The conversation culminates with Haller identifying four under-appreciated retail technology trends:Expanding AI beyond words, pictures, and code to work with numerical data like SKU forecasting, potentially reducing forecast error rates to low single digitsIntegrating AI with other technologies like computer vision, IoT devices, robotics, biometrics, electronic shelf labels, and retail mediaDeveloping an "operating system for AI" to manage the projected billion new applications by 2028Most critically, bringing people along on the technology journey through comprehensive training and continuous learningAttendees of STORE2025 can expect Haller to dive deeper into these insights during his keynote presentation, providing retail leaders with actionable strategies for navigating technological transformation while balancing innovation with practical implementatio Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

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 is set to deliver the opening keynote address at Retail Council of Canada's STORE2025 conference on June 3rd. This conversation offers listeners a valuable preview of the critical economic insights Canadian retailers can expect from his highly anticipated keynote.As LeBlanc notes in the introduction, "I'm very excited that you're going to be here in person," highlighting the significance of Kalish's upcoming role in kicking off RCC's flagship event during this period of economic uncertainty. The episode serves as an essential primer for conference attendees and provides crucial analysis for all retail professionals navigating today's complex trade environment.Drawing on his deep economic expertise, Kalish reveals that average US tariff rates have skyrocketed to approximately 27% - levels not seen since 1903. This represents a dramatic increase from the previous 3-3.5% rates and has triggered significant financial market volatility, supply chain disruptions, and growing concerns about economic downturns - all topics he'll address more extensively in his STORE2025 presentation.The conversation tackles three major justifications for the new tariff approach: shifting from taxes to tariffs for revenue generation, rebalancing global trade priorities, and re-shoring manufacturing. Kalish systematically challenges these rationales, providing a preview of the economic framework he'll expand upon during his conference keynote.Particularly concerning for retailers planning to attend STORE2025, Kalish highlights data showing container shipments from China to the US are down 45% year-over-year, as importers either find tariffs too prohibitive or wait for potential policy reversals. This disruption threatens empty store shelves and significantly higher consumer prices in the immediate future - urgent challenges that will undoubtedly be central to his opening address.Continuing themes he'll develop further at the conference, the discussion also explores non-tariff barriers, currency manipulation accusations, and the possibility of regional "fortress" trading blocs. While Kalish doesn't foresee complete regionalization of trade, he notes that many countries are now working to reduce US trade dependence by liberalizing trade with each other.On a more optimistic note, the conversation concludes by examining how this trade crisis might catalyze positive economic reforms in Canada - a topic that will resonate strongly with the Canadian retail executives gathering at STORE2025.Listeners are encouraged to follow Kalish's weekly economic updates on Deloitte's thought leadership website at deloitte.com/insights, while also making plans to attend his must-see opening keynote at Retail Council of Canada's STORE2025 conference on June 1st, where he'll provide expanded insights on these rapidly evolving economic developments.  Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

🎧 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 wide-ranging discussion on leading technology innovation in Canada’s largest retail landscape. Recorded live at Walmart Canada headquarters, Michelle shares her career journey—from a high school intern at RBC to helming technology strategy at Walmart—highlighting the passion for problem-solving and creativity that fueled her ascent.In this exclusive interview, Michon unpacks the complexities of managing three horizons of retail technology: maintaining system stability, driving incremental improvements, and pioneering disruptive innovations. She explains how Walmart balances global solutions with unique local requirements in Canada, from pharmacy operations to supply chain logistics across a vast geography. Michelle emphasizes that 30% of Walmart Canada's tech stack is tailored for the local market, showcasing the importance of adaptability in global retail operations.A key theme is the accelerated pace of innovation post-pandemic, particularly in online grocery and omni-channel experiences. Michelle reflects on how the pandemic forced Walmart to “pivot quickly” and experiment boldly, fostering a culture of agility and learning. She provides an insider’s view on how Walmart Canada approaches innovation through a portfolio mindset, selectively adopting global technologies while developing homegrown solutions to meet specific Canadian challenges.Michon offers candid insights into Walmart’s approach to AI, describing current use cases like automated product tagging and content generation, while stressing the need for “human in the loop” oversight. She positions AI as a transformational but still maturing tool—“we’re in spring training”—with long-term potential to level the playing field for businesses of all sizes.We also explore the intersection of technology and marketing at Walmart, from empowering associates with actionable data to enhancing in-store experiences that bring the brand to life. Michon closes with powerful advice for women in tech, encouraging curiosity, continuous learning, and breaking out of limiting assumptions: “If you’re nervous about something, go learn it.”Whether you're a retailer, technologist, or leader navigating innovation, this encore episode offers invaluable insights from one of Canada’s top retail technology executives.💥 Don’t miss this repeat of a listener favourite! Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world. 

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 womenswear with modular, machine-washable designs. With a diverse background spanning law, politics, and real estate, Emma shares the origin story of SophieGrace, born from her frustration with the lack of cohesive, high-quality wardrobe options for professional women.Emma discusses how her brand serves an underserved segment—professional women who want elegant, coordinated, and comfortable clothing without the hassle of traditional shopping. She highlights how SophieGrace's clean design ethos and product quality have created an extremely loyal customer base across North America, including legal professionals, political leaders, and C-suite executives.We dive into the business model, including the online-first strategy supported by two physical showrooms in Calgary and Vancouver and Emma's growing interest in experiential retail through pop-ups and client-hosted events. She details how organic, word-of-mouth growth—amplified by strategic community events like wine-and-shop nights hosted by senior partners and wealth managers—has been central to building the brand's reputation.Emma also opens up about the operational and strategic challenges of manufacturing. Originally sourcing from China for scalability, SophieGrace explored Canadian production, only to be forced to return offshore after losing a key domestic supplier. Despite these hurdles, product quality and innovation remain front and center—stretch silk blouses and capsule drops ensure her customers return again and again.The conversation turns to current trade policy headwinds. With 30% of sales once coming from the U.S., Emma unpacks how the elimination of de minimis exemptions and looming tariffs—potentially exceeding 100%—have derailed her expansion plans. The result: a pivot back to Canadian growth and exploring new frontiers, including potential wholesale opportunities and a European launch.Emma's journey is a masterclass in entrepreneurial grit, customer-driven design, and navigating global trade complexity with agility. Whether you're a fashion entrepreneur, policy wonk, or retail strategist, this episode delivers a wealth of insights into building a brand with purpose and scalability in 2025's challenging retail environment. Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur.  He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada’s Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google.  He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fifth year in a row, the National Retail Federation has designated Michael as on their Top Retail Voices for 2025, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer.  If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael’s cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.