The Voice of Retail

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 experiences.

Eric Morris, Managing Director of Google Retail in Canada, is back on the podcast sharing 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.

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 will discuss what the insights of this year’s survey mean for retailers.

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. ENCORE EPISODE

Meet Dr. Rebecca Homkes, who talks about the thinking behind her latest book "Survive, Reset, Thrive: Leading Breakthrough Growth Strategy in Volatile Times," a must-read book that offers a powerful framework for navigating today's volatile business environment.

In this episode, meet Frédéric Aubé, founder and CEO of Cozey, a fast-growing furniture brand known for its modular, easy-to-assemble pieces. Fred shares how his experience as a student inspired Cozey's creation and how his entrepreneurial background shaped the company's mission. He discusses Cozey's rapid growth in North America, the transition from direct-to-consumer (DTC) to physical retail, and the critical strategies behind its success. Fred also explores the evolving role of physical stores for DTC brands and offers advice for independent retailers navigating today's competitive market. Don't miss this insightful conversation on innovation and entrepreneurship!

ENCORE EPISODE: Jim Fielding's dynamic career has spanned senior leadership roles at top global brands, including Disney, DreamWorks, and Twentieth Century Fox, anchored in experience and an early career at The Gap, Lands' End, and as CEO of Claire's Stores; He joins me in an exclusive interview to talk about his book ALL PRIDE, NO EGO: A Queer Executive's Journey to Living and Leading Authentically with leadership, retail and life lessons you need to hear.

In this episode, recorded live at the RCC Retail Marketing Conference in Toronto, join me for a fast-paced discussion with John Fanous Head of Industry, eCommerce & Omni-Channel Retail, Google. We cover the current marketing strategy, communications, tools and tricks to reach an increasingly saturated, diverse shopper and reluctant media consumer. We’ll talk about what’s working, what’s changed, what’s not working and the forecast and thinking for Holiday and into 2025.

In this episode, Meet Carson Arthur and hear about his journey from a media personality to an independent small retailer, launching Carson's Garden & Market in Prince Edward County. Carson shares his product sourcing strategies and challenges, advice for his fellow indie retailers, SMB growth strategies for governments, and plans for an exciting future.

Meet Michon Williams, Chief Technology Officer for Walmart Canada, talking about fostering a culture of both innovation and dependability, leveraging AI & retail, and meeting customers where they are with the help of leading-edge technology.

Serial entrepreneur Chris Jones, Founder and President of CANNABIS XPRESS, a leading chain of cannabis retail stores started in Ontario, is back on the podcast to tell us his adventure of expanding his successful store concept to small-town New Brunswick, one of the most innovative markets in Canada.

In this episode, meet Bobby Sahni, a veteran of multicultural marketing with over 20 years of experience. Bobby discusses his journey from corporate roles in banking and telecommunications to his current role as a leader at Ethnicity Matters, a Toronto-based multicultural marketing agency. He emphasizes the importance of understanding Canada's demographic shifts and integrating multicultural strategies into mainstream business practices.

Meet Peter Cohan, an Associate Professor of Management Practice at Babson College, the founding principal of Peter S. Cohan & Associates, a management consulting and venture capital firm. Peter tells us about his 17th book, Brain Rush, and we get deep into GenAI, whether the current concentration of AI development amongst the most prominent tech players will help or hurt the development of valuable and safe AI, AI hallucinations and how retailers should think about their impact on customer service, AI flyers for the masses and much more!

Meet modern marketing phenomenon and upcoming RCC Retail Marketing keynote speaker Neil Patel as he shares insights behind his rise to one of the top marketing voices in the world and gives us a quick preview of his upcoming mainstage presentation.

On this episode, popular guest Kristina Rogers, Global Consumer Leader, EY, is back on the podcast to discuss the latest global and Canadian consumer insights from the 14th edition of her seminal research project, The Future Consumer Index. Launched in the early days of the COVID era, her research continues to track consumers' changing patterns and behaviours, with echoes of pandemic shopping impacts and changes in how we live, consume media, and shop.

Meet Jason Radisson, CEO and Founder of Movo, a Human Capital Management (HCM) platform that uses advanced AI to automate the process of hiring, engaging, and retaining today’s frontline workforce with his innovative AI forward solution for retailers.

Raj Grover, President and CEO of High Tide, is back on the podcast to update us about the state of the retail cannabis industry in Canada and his growing universe of retail brands together as Cana Cabana, now Canada's largest non-franchise cannabis retailer with over 170 locations. Raj talks about this recipe for commercial success and his perspectives on global expansion to the U.S., Europe and beyond, leveraging the experience, skills and understanding of one of the industry's more experienced and accomplished retail teams.

Meet Susan O’Brien, EVP and Chief Brand & Customer Officer at Canadian Tire Corporation (CTC). In a wide-ranging and engaging interview, Susan talks about her experience and tradecraft, AI & retail, and their modern take on customer and brand strategy.

Meet DUER founder and CEO Gary Lenett. This Vancouver-based brand features performance fabrics beyond denim in bottoms, tops, and outerwear for both men and women. It boasts a global wholesale network of over 1,000 doors, seven retail locations in Canada and in the US, and a rapidly expanding North American e-commerce presence. Its vision is to be plastic fibre-free by 2028, and it is a success story 40 years in the making.

Meet Michaela Wessels, CEO and co-founder of Style Arcade. Forbes described her innovative AI merchandising solution as the 'first of its kind' for retail, so I wanted to learn more. Michaela shares her industry insights and insights into the AI-powered tool that replaces spreadsheets with intelligent analytics and digital range planning.

Meet Sabir Semerkant, an eCommerce consulting guru with 25+ years in e-commerce and over a billion dollars in revenue growth to his credit. Sabir shares insights into his framework, which unlocks 2X-10X growth for any e-commerce business with Product-Market Fit.

In a wide-ranging and overdue conversation, I catch up with James Connell, one of the industry's most experienced retail marketing, customer experience, brand and omnichannel executives. We talk about the evolution of customer experience, marketplaces, lessons learned from Asia and abroad, and his local & global consulting work here in Canada

My guest on this Encore Episode from the summer of 2023 is Rob Smith, veteran retailer and now the CEO and Founder of The Phluid Project, GET Phluid, and The Phluid Phoundation; he has created a brand, combining his profession with his passion and a commitment to social justice.

In this episode, I tap into John Lee's decades of reverse retail logistics experience. He discusses the importance of a seamless customer returns process, reasons for cart abandonment due to unclear return methods, and strategies using data analytics and personalization to reduce returns. We also explore managing high return rates, innovative solutions for non-restockable items, challenges in store handling of returns, best practices in reverse logistics, and leveraging returns for environmental stewardship.

On this episode, I sit down with a colleague from back in my work on the brand side, Craig Baxter, Group President ofTechtronic Industries Canada Inc., part of a global 13 billion dollar powerhouse tool house of brands that includes Milwaukee, Ryobi, andHoover. In a wide-ranging and engaging conversation, Craig talks about radical innovation, retail go-to-market strategy, leadership for growth, and the epic come-from-behind marketplace win for his Milwaukee brand of power tools as the sixth horse in a five-horse race.

Recorded at the Cox School of Business at SMU in Dallas, Texas, in front of a live studio audience, my guest is my good friend and Remarkable Retail podcast partner Steve Dennis on the occasion of the book launch event for Leaders Leap, his latest book already climbing up the charts as one of the top business books of the year.

My guests on this episode are Tanya Bevington, Head of Communications for IKEA Canada, and Anthony Chelvanathan, Chief Creative Officer at Edelman Canada. They discuss the insights and unique creative partnership behind Ikea Canada's clever and brilliant "Second-Hand Tax (SHT) is Happening" campaign.

In this episode, we're talking about evolving fraud trends in retail with Kim Sutherland, Vice President of Fraud and Identity from LexisNexis Risk Solutions. Explore strategies for mitigating fraud risks while maintaining a seamless customer experience. Gain insights from the True Cost of Fraud study, which revealed the significant financial impact on businesses globally. Discover how enterprises balance investment in fraud prevention with profitability, leveraging technology and data analytics to effectively detect and combat fraudulent activity.

In this leadership-focussed episode, something different, something new. My guest is Taylor Cavanaugh, who takes a big, complicated life and shares insights from his time with the U.S. Navy Seals and the French Foreign Legion (the first American in history to be part of both), emphasizing leadership and resilience. He discusses his public exposure on "Soft White Underbelly," one of my favourite interview shows, and discusses the philosophy of having "no plan B" while stressing adaptability to maximize outcomes - professional and personal. Taylor advises embracing new experiences, leading with integrity, and making tough decisions in this fascinating, fast-paced interview.

Meet Alicia Chin, Director of Sustainability and Social Impact at VF Corporation, who discusses activewear brand and retailer icebreaker's open admission of falling short in their 100% plastic-free ambition. We delve into the challenges, the progress made, and how their transparency sets a precedent for retail industry-wide sustainability efforts. Hear about icebreaker's innovative approaches and their pledge to ongoing improvement in this episode that is perfect for the times.

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. Deb also previews her upcoming keynote for Retail Council of Canada's Retail HR conference on April 25th. Learn more and get your tickets today: https://rcchrconference.ca/

Meet Rose Patten, one of Canada's pre-eminent business and strategic thinkers. We talk about her life, stellar career, role as Chancellor of the University of Toronto, and her book, Intentional Leadership, a book filled with insights on strategy and leadership that you need to hear again, or for the first time, in my interview from spring 2023.

Gary Hawkins is a visionary and retail industry treasure whose deep industry knowledge combines operational experience and technology savvy to provide a unique perspective. Gary joins Michael to discuss his fourth book, coming this April but available for pre-order now, "Bionic Retail: How to Thrive in an Exponential World."

Jim Fielding's dynamic career has spanned senior leadership roles at top global brands, including Disney, DreamWorks, and Twentieth Century Fox, anchored in experience and an early career at The Gap, Lands' End, and as CEO of Claire's Stores; He joins me in an exclusive interview to talk about this new book ALL PRIDE, NO EGO: A Queer Executive's Journey to Living and Leading Authentically with leadership, retail and life lessons you need to hear.

Retail Transformation maven Oliver Banks is back on the podcast live from the U.K., discussing his new book, "Driving Retail Transformation: How to Navigate Disruption and Change." Using a clever set of automotive metaphors, Oliver takes us through his retail transformation steering wheel tool. He takes us to a better place in our journey to becoming a high-performing retailer.

Bill Moir, Managing Director and EVP Canada for Specsavers is back on the podcast as this Vancouver-based international retailer celebrates the opening of its 100th store in Canada, including a successful launch in Ontario, Alberta, and British Columbia, with plans for expansion into Manitoba. Together, we unpack the successful business model and marketing strategies that have powered Specsavers rapid growth in Canada, lessons learned, and their winning formula for better eyecare for Canadians.

Meet Marshal Kay, Global Director, Retail Transformation Services for Avery Dennison Smartrac, who takes us through the retail business case for RFID, from supper accurate inventory to Loss Prevention, seamless self-checkout and more, and what it takes to break through with this robust process and technology solution.

Meet Alyssa Rade, chief sustainability officer at Sustain.life, a leading carbon accounting platform, where she leads the company’s strategy for product content, guiding retailers across North America on their decarbonization and ESG journeys. Alyssa unpacks the complexities of carbon accounting for all of us, providing a uniform model for retailers, brands and vendors in tracking, reporting and understanding their decarbonization work.

Something different on the podcast for this episode: Meet Ariela Nerubay, EVP & Chief Marketing Officer at Curacao retail stores, a fellow 2024 ReThink Retail Top Retail Expert and leader in ethnic and modern marketing strategies and tactics. You might not recognize the LA-based retail stores she leads, but the insights, challenges and opportunities translate well on the mic and across the border.

The past, current and future state of Retail Media Networks are in the spotlight in this dynamic, live interview from the ReThink Retail podcasting studio on the NRF Big Show show floor in New York City with Aran Hamilton, Co-Founder & CEO of Toronto's Vantage. Aran is a pioneer in the retail media space and offers valuable lessons and powerful insights for retailers and brands of all sizes regarding the scope and future of this much-talked-about revolution.

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 pleasantries, hope for the best, and immediately get into the work. Through our conversation and his book, Michael shows and tells us how to build the Best Possible Relationship with the key people at work.

Jim Harris, one of North America's foremost thinkers on disruption and innovation, is back on the podcast sharing his experiences and insights from CES, the world's biggest technology conference, and the World Economic Forum in Davos. Jim has been attending these important events for decades and takes us inside with his informed perspective for retailers.

The one and only Kristina Rogers, Global EY Consumer Chairwoman, is back on the podcast with the latest powerful insights from her 13th Future Consumer Index report. Climate change is becoming a growing reality for people worldwide and Canada, disrupting ingrained consumption habits. If you think COVID-19 shocked consumer behaviour, brace yourself for what happens next.

Welcome to a new year, and maybe a new you, regarding your perspectives around leadership. My special guest is Steve Worthy, who, with over 27 years of North American on the front lines as a senior retail store leader and operator, brings a unique mix of executive coaching, training, and real-world experience to senior retail leaders and corporate teams.

In this episode, a lift from my Global eCommerce Leaders #podcast presented by StreamCommerce, meet the force of nature that is Jenna Flateman Posner, just two months into her new gig with innovative home products brand, wholesaler and direct-to-consumer retailer Solo Brands. We cover a lot of ground in this interview, not unlike what Jenna did as a University athlete and member of the USA Women's Sevens rugby team.

In a wide-ranging conversation, meet two of Best Buy Canada's standout veteran retail leaders: Mat Povse, Senior Vice President of Operations, and Eric Stockner, Vice President and Category Officer for Food, Home, and Baby. Mat and Eric join me on the mic to talk about big-picture trends, the current and future state of product innovation, this year's Black Friday performance (and what the point of Black Friday anyway), and what it takes to win the retail game in 2024 and beyond.

Meet Michael Appel, a seasoned senior executive with over 50 years of experience in the retail industry, including turnaround CEO at Rue21. As the Managing Director at New York-based Getzler Henrich & Associates, he leads the Retail Practice for the firm, specializing in operational turnarounds for retail businesses.

Live from the main stage at RCC's Retail Sustainability conference in Toronto, my discussion with two visionary retail leaders, Geraldine Huse, President of P&G Canada, and George Soleas, President and CEO of LCBO, as they offer invaluable insights from their respective organization's journeys to net zero, spotlighting the innovations, cultural changes, triumphs and tribulations on their paths to real sustainable change.

Back on the pod for what has become an annual Holiday tradition just like Turkey and egg nog, Eric Morris, Managing Director and Head of Retail for Google Canada, joins me on the mic, sharing the kind of insights that retailers need to know from a trusted partner whose hand is on the pulse of the zeitgeist of our times.

The one and only Rob Garf, Vice President and GM for retail at global powerhouse Salesforce, is back on the pod sharing exclusive insights and strategies for retailers on how to win Holiday and helping us get ready with predictions for an unpredictable 2024

In this fun, fast-paced and insightful episode, Selwyn shares highlights of his twenty-year journey at IKEA, first impressions of the business environment, and ambitions for growth and diversification for this purpose-led retail brand in Canada for 47 of its 80 years of this global home furnishing and lifestyle powerhouse.

Meet Marianne Lewis, Dean of the Carl H. Lindner College of Business and co-author of the breakthrough book from the Harvard Business Review Press, Both/And Thinking: Embracing Creative Tensions to Solve Your Toughest Problems in this Encore Episode from Summer 2022.

On this episode, Mylène Champagne, Director of Environmental and Technical Risks for Metro & Sam Kashani, Country Director for Too Good To Go Canada, continue the original discussion that we had at RCC's Retail Sustainability conference live on the stage with me about why collaboration is the only effective, measurable way to fight food waste at a mass scale and why profitability doesn't have to come at a price when it comes to food waste.

Meet Emily Hosie, Founder & CEO of Toronto-based Rebelstork. Emily recognized a massive void in a baby retail market ripe for innovation. She leveraged her experience at TJX and Saks Off Fifth as a top buyer, building an AI-powered platform for overstock, open box and quality used baby gear. Rebelstork has saved over 150,000 pieces of baby gear from ending up in landfill, and it is just getting started!

In this episode, meet Patrice Mousseau, CEO, Founder Satya Organic Skin Care, an inspiring West-Coast based skincare entrepreneur who's travelled a unique journey. Starting from a media background, she's built a breakthrough skincare brand over the past decade. As an award-winning indigenous entrepreneur, her approach to product development differs, promoting inclusivity. Patrice reflects on the changing landscape for indigenous female founders, shares valuable advice for retailers and aspiring entrepreneurs, and hints at an exciting future in her entrepreneurial journey.

Lee Jeyes is back from a cross-Canada tour and on the mic ready to share his insights and advice around pragmatic retail innovation informed by years of experience, most formerly as Walmart Canada's Head of Innovation. Get ready for a great conversation as we explore Where Retail Meets Innovation, and hear Lee's advice for retailers and brands of all sizes on how they can drive the innovation agenda in your enterprise.

Meet Silicon Valley trailblazer Atif Rafiq, who shares his extensive background and insights gleaned from a comprehensive and pioneering experience at Amazon, Volvo, and McDonald, the distinction of being the first Chief Digital Officer in the history of the Fortune 500. We're together to discuss his new book, Decision Sprint: The New Way to Innovate into the Unknown and Move from Strategy to Action.

Live from Dublin, meet Martin Bailie, a global retail executive with an impressive 30 years of proven expertise and experience within the global food and fashion retail industries, including c-Level roles at Lidel, Primark and Tata/Tesco in India. In a wide-ranging conversation, mics across the pond, we cover the critical issues in modern retail from a European operator's perspective with someone on the front lines of retail innovation and retail technological change his whole career.

Meet veteran retail marketer Kathy Tsolakos, Vice President Marketing, Ecommerce & Visual Presentation- PENN. at Reitmans Canada Ltée/Ltd. She takes us through an exciting career and prepares us for her panel, "Modern Marketing: Where Storytelling Meets Community," at the upcoming RCC Retail Marketing conference.

Back on the podcast in a new role, veteran retailer Corey Gillon joins us as the CEO at Peninsula Co-op, a Victoria, B.C.-based multi-business unit retailer specializing in fuel & convenience, liquor and grocery. Tons of great insights from this global retailer whose career has spanned massive retailers to cannabis start-ups.

Meet Chief Strategy Officer and now author Chelsey Paulson as she takes us through her experience accelerating business cultures for long-term success, articulated in her fabulous new book The Culture Climb: How To Build A Work Culture That Maximizes Your Impact.

Meet Alison Hartnoll, Vice President, Unified Commerce and Marketing at Mastermind Toys, as she takes us inside this Canadian specialty retailer's e-commerce and retail story and gives us a preview of her panel "A Marketer's Guide to Seamless Customer Retail Journeys" at the upcoming RCC Retail Marketing Conference.

Meet Albert Chow, the Co-Founder and CEO of Silk & Snow, a digitally native retailer of thoughtfully made sleep essentials, ranked as one of Canada's top-growing companies by the Globe & Mail and Canadian Business and joining Endy and Casper as a recent addition to Sleep Country's fantastic roster of properties—a great story of inspiration and perspiration, a true Canadian eCommerce and soon-to-be physical retail success story.

My guest on this episode is Rob Smith, veteran retailer and now the CEO and Founder of The Phluid Project, GET Phluid, and The Phluid Phoundation; he has created a brand, combining his profession with his passion and a commitment to social justice.

In a special summer encore episode, my guest is Carolyn Dewar, Canadian senior partner at McKinsey & Company and co-author of the bestselling "CEO Excellence: The Six Mindsets That Distinguish The Best Leaders from the Rest."

In a special summer encore episode, the one and only Wes Hall is on the podcast from a popular episode in 2022 to talk about his book "No Bootstraps When You're Barefoot: My rise from a Jamaican plantation shack to the boardrooms of Bay Street." Wes shares his story and advice for retailers on how they can genuinely help black entrepreneurs and adds hints for anyone who winds up in front of him on CBC's Dragon's Den

Welcome to a special summer encore episode of the podcast that is worth a second (or perhaps you're first) listen. In this episode, The Power of Regret: An Exclusive Feature Interview with Best-Selling Author Dan Pink. In his quest to reclaim the power of regret as a force for good, Dan wrote a breakthrough book that speaks to regret as a key component of human existence - an emotion that prompts us to look backwards in order to clarify how we want to move forwards.

Meet Jim Harris, one of North America’s foremost management consultants, public speakers, authors and thinkers on change and leadership. Jim and I finally met in person here in Toronto at the big Collision Tech conference, and who better to join me on the mic to give us a review and overview of the conference that attracted almost 40,000 global technorati, plus tap into his insights about the big picture tech trends that retailers need to know.

Veteran retailer, entrepreneur, investor and friend of the pod David Lui is back this episode with his new business partner, Canadian retail legend Joe Mimran in an exclusive interview to talk about buying Vancouver's Kit & Ace, a retailer with an origin story that goes back almost a decade to it's founding by Lululemon lead designer Shannon Wilson and son JJ Wilson. We talk about their impression of the brand today, what makes it great, and growth plans for this innovative apparel retailer.

Meet Brain Corp CEO David Pinn, leader of an AI software tech company that powers the world's largest fleet of autonomous mobile robots operating in commercial indoor public spaces, including retail stores and warehouses. We spoke just before David was to join us in Toronto for the big Collison tech conference and gathered his thoughts on the current and future state of AI in retail.

In this pickup from my Remarkable Retail #podcast with Steve Dennis, America's No.1 retail industry podcast, renowned author, entrepreneur, and leadership teacher, Seth Godin returns to the podcast to discuss his incredibly timely and urgent new book:The Song of Significance: A New Manifesto for Teams.

Meet Marcus Collins, the architect of some of the most famous ad campaigns of the last decade, who argues that culture is the most powerful vehicle for influencing behaviour in his new book "For the Culture: The Power Behind What We Buy, What We Do, and Who We Want to Be"

Meet Amanda Amar, Senior Director of PR & Social Media with ALDO, as she takes us through some of its most successful Influencer Marketing campaigns ever and how this Canadian brand uses Influencer Marketing to meet consumers with the content they want to see on social platforms and drive traffic and sales

Greetings and welcome to a special episode recorded live in the on-site Stream Commerce podcasting studio at the Los Angeles Global eCommerce Leaders Forum in early 2023. In this episode, we meet Jon Safran, Chief Executive Officer, KEH Camera, a leading re-commerce company and the World's Largest Pre-Owned Camera Dealer. They have a constantly replenished inventory of over 65,000 items in stock and have had a stellar customer service reputation since 1979.

In this episode, meet Muhammad Mohamedy, General Manager of Healthy Planet Canada, who shares with me the origin story and incredible trajectory of a retail company thriving in the health and wellness retail space, recently adding four new stores and ambitious growth and expansion plans.

Meet Kelly Mawhinney, Partner at Mercer, recorded together live on the mainstage recently at the RCC Retail HR conference. In a wide-ranging and fact-based plus experienced-based conversation, we learn how retailers and HR professionals from other industries are navigating the roadblocks of talent attraction, the varied needs of in-store and hybrid team members, and the expectations of a values-driven workforce.

On this episode, my guest is Soren Kaplan, author of the new book Experiential Intelligence, Harness the Power of Experience for Personal and Business Breakthroughs. Soren shares how his unusual early life experiences shaped his resilience and framework through which he saw the world and how this essential 3rd level of intelligence (after IQ and EQ) makes for successful, agile and resilient leaders.

On this episode, I welcome back to the podcast Scott Arsenault CEO at Ren's Pets, to catch up with this fast-moving pet retailer taking its philosophy of "your pet's best life" into increasingly more Canadian communities every day.

Meet Teanne von der Porten, Executive Director, ESG Advisory Services KPMG Canada, who joins me on the mic with an interview that pulls apart ESG letter-by-letter and then puts it back together again with a clear articulation of the modern imperatives that every retailer needs to understand and master to be the employer of choice, and compete and win with today's consumers.

In this episode Meet Rose Patten, O.C., one of Canada's pre-eminent business and strategic thinkers, special advisor to the CEO at BMO, an inductee to the Hall of Fame of Canada's Top 100 Most Powerful Women, an honorary colonel of the Canadian Forces College and the 34th Chancellor of the University of Toronto.  Rose is now the author of Intentional Leadership: The Big 8 Capabilities Setting Leaders Apart. We chatted in person at her UofT offices to explore the principles and concepts of leadership well articulated in her popular new book.

Welcome to a special RCC STORE 2023 conference bonus episode. The RCC STORE Conference is Canada's biggest retail conference. Each year, STORE gathers retail experts, thought leaders, executives, brands, and their networks to gather & discuss the future of Canadian retail.   In this episode, Afdhel Aziz, one of the most inspiring leaders in the global movement of business as a force for good, shares a glimpse into his insights on how retailers can find purpose and meaning in their work and unlock the enormous power of business to do good in the world.

Montreal-based business strategist, executive advisor and retail guru Carl Boutet is back on the podcast with a wide-ranging 1:1 conversation live in the Wiseline podcasting studio during the Shoptalk 2023 conference in Las Vegas. We catch up on the latest retail technology trends, innovations, hits and misses and Carls's experiences teaching the next generation of retail leaders worldwide.

Welcome to a special RCC Retail HR conference bonus episode. On this episode, I welcome back onto the mic my good friend and colleague Kevin Graff, President of Graff Retail. Kevin is both MC'ing the RCC HR retail conference and moderating an excellent panel on the main stage. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to tap into his wisdom and vast experience training front-line retail teams to discover what success looks like for retailers in their stores in 2023.

In this episode, a special preview interview with one of the many outstanding thought leaders and change-makers taking the stage for the RCC Store conference on May 30/31st. David Shing (also known as "Shingy") is an Australian futurist, speaker, creative director, strategic digital consultant, and entrepreneur.

Welcome to a special RCC Retail HR conference bonus episode. These bonus episodes will introduce you to a few retail thought leaders and change-makers speaking at Canada's only conference for retail human resources professionals. In this episode, Tanja Fratangeli, Chief People Officer at IKEA Group, shares her background, what she'll be talking about on the stage, and two-starts, one-stop advice for retailers.

Veteran retailer April Sabral is back on the podcast, telling us about her new second book, "Incurable Positivity," and talking about her seven-step process, which can be completed in just seven days, and also shares her advice for retailers as they work to bring new people into the business and, importantly, keep their talent engaged and loyal.

Sue Hutchison, President and GM for Equifax Canada, talks about cybercrime, the state of Canadians' credit ratings and their forecast for the Canadian economy and consumer spending for 2023

From Edelman's breakthrough Gen Z Lab, Courtney Miller, Executive Vice President and Head of Strategy, Giselle Huasipoma, Gen Z Lab Ambassador, Influencer Marketing, reveal five myths about how Gen Z shops.

Award-winning digital marketing mavens and ReShift Media Founders Kirk Allen and Steve Buors join me on the podcast with the latest strategies and tactics in digital and social marketing for retailers.

Live from a boisterous NRF Big Show trade show floor in New York, Tim Mason, CEO of Eagle Eye and former Tesco CMO, is back on the podcast. While this is not Tim's first time on the podcast, it is the first time we've had the pleasure of meeting. We catch up and discuss post-COVID consumer loyalty and sorting through performance data in an inflationary retail environment.

Jim Roddy, President and CEO of the RSPA (Retail Solution Providers Association), author, coach, retail industry insider, podcaster and fellow ReThink Retail Top Global Retail Influencer, shares insights from his unique vantage point about the North American retail technology ecosystem future tech.

Digital pioneer and veteran eCommerce leader Johnny Russo is back on the podcast after several years, a new gig and a new book, "Mastering Mindful Leadership: 105 Ways to Become the Leader Your Employees Need You to Be". We catch up and talk about the current online retail environment, lessons learned, a look to the future, and the key lessons that will help you manage your teams and lead in the new world of work.

David Wilkinson, President of NCR Commerce, is back on the podcast recorded live in person at the NRF show in New York City. First, we chat about our impressions of the 2023 Big Show, and then we quickly dive into some of the most compelling and fascinating issues for the retail industry. NCR is one of the world's largest suppliers of retail POS equipment; David himself, a 12-year veteran of NCR, and his team have unique insights into the future of self-checkout and POS in a world of AI, machine vision, rapid innovation and retail technological investment.

Rob Garf, Vice President and General Manager, Retail for Salesforce, is back on the podcast to share insights from the vast universe of data at his fingertips about the year that was, and with his experience and intuition as one of the sharpest analysts in retail shares predictions for the year to come.

The one and only Ron Thurston is my extraordinary guest for this episode, recorded live in person together for the first time at the NRF Big Show in New York. Ron is a retailers' retailer, a veteran store leader that turned his passion into a best-selling book, Retail Pride, which became an epic tour across America with an F150 and an Airstream to meet retailers where they live and tell their stories. I sat with Ron in the MarketDial podcasting studio to hear his story and learn his lessons from the Retail In America tour. Let's listen in now!

Kent Allen and Jim Okamura, co-founders of the successful Global eCommerce Leaders Forums and community, are back on the podcast sharing their expertise and providing us with a timely update on the state of cross-border and global eCommerce, including a view to China, Europe, LATAM and where retailers and brands should focus when looking for international growth.

Today we have a special guest, Dr. John Izzo, joining us to discuss their personal and professional journey and their insights on the world of work. John is a prolific writer with nine books and many peer-reviewed articles, and decades of experience writing and helping organizations activate purpose with employees and customers. We will delve into the COVID era and its impact on the world of work, getting his opinion on whether the changes we currently see are a result of the pandemic or were already in motion due to demographics and technology. We will discuss the gig economy, remote work, and the structures many try to adjust to or rebel against. We will also touch on the "quiet quitting" or the "work my wage" movement and its relationship to the bifurcation of wages, social justice, or just a fad.

Today, we have a special treat in store for you as we sit down with Cassie Holmes, a professor at UCLA's Anderson School of Management, a social psychologist, and author of Happier Hour: How to Beat Distraction, Expand Your Time, and Focus on What Matters Most. So please sit back, relax, and get ready to be inspired, as Cassie provides us with the antidote to overscheduling and feeling like your days aren't your own!

Welcome to a special holiday episode of the podcast, a pickup of my Conversations with CommerceNext podcast featuring Canadian retail executive Carolyn Pollock, CMO of Tailored Brands.