Insights from recent episode analysis
Audience Interest
Podcast Focus
Publishing Consistency
Platform Reach
Insights are generated by CastFox AI using publicly available data, episode content, and proprietary models.
Most discussed topics
Brands & references
Total monthly reach
Estimated from 2 chart positions in 2 markets.
By chart position
- 🇨🇦CA · Management#1915K to 30K
- 🇵🇹PT · Management#603K to 10K
- Per-Episode Audience
Est. listeners per new episode within ~30 days
2.4K to 12K🎙 Daily cadence·538 episodes·Last published today - Monthly Reach
Unique listeners across all episodes (30 days)
8K to 40K🇨🇦75%🇵🇹25% - Active Followers
Loyal subscribers who consistently listen
3.2K to 16K
Market Insights
Platform Distribution
Reach across major podcast platforms, updated hourly
Total Followers
—
Total Plays
—
Total Reviews
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* Data sourced directly from platform APIs and aggregated hourly across all major podcast directories.
On the show
From 14 epsHost
Recent guests
Recent episodes
Talent, Strategy, and Story Telling: James B. Smith, CEO of Rare Placement, on Finding—and Becoming—the Right Retail Leader (Encore Epiosde)
Jun 26, 2026
Unknown duration
Carl Boutet, Retail Futurist and author of “The Flip: Staying Human in an Algorithmic World,” on his new book, AI, Asia Retail Innovation and the Next Era of Retail
Jun 19, 2026
Unknown duration
Julia Freeman, CEO of The Jilly Box, David Brownstein, President of Browns Shoes, and Selwyn Crittendon, CEO of IKEA Canada, Live on Stage at STORE 2026
Jun 12, 2026
Unknown duration
Going Global in Uncertain Times with Matthew Merrilees , CEO North America, Global-e and Co-Host Jim Okamura from the Global eCommerce Leaders Forum
Jun 5, 2026
31m 30s
Retail’s AI Reckoning: Jackie Swanson, Managing Partner at Gartner Consulting on Winning the Agentic Future
May 29, 2026
28m 46s
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| Date | Episode | Topics | Guests | Brands | Places | Keywords | Sponsor | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/26/26 |  Talent, Strategy, and Story Telling: James B. Smith, CEO of Rare Placement, on Finding—and Becoming—the Right Retail Leader (Encore Epiosde) | In this Encore episode I sit down with James B. Smith, Founder and CEO of Rare Placement, to explore the evolving nature of retail leadership. Drawing from a storied career in media, publishing, and executive search, James unpacks the importance of storytelling, agility, and culture fit in talent placement. He also shares practical tips for executives navigating career transitions, succession planning, and building high-impact boards in today’s hybrid, fast-moving retail environment. | — | ||||||
| 6/19/26 |  Carl Boutet, Retail Futurist and author of “The Flip: Staying Human in an Algorithmic World,” on his new book, AI, Asia Retail Innovation and the Next Era of Retail | On this episode of The Voice of Retail, Michael LeBlanc welcomes retail strategist, author and educator Carl Boutet to discuss his new book, The Flip: Staying Human in an Algorithmic World. Carl explores how artificial intelligence is transforming everything from customer discovery and merchandising to pricing, marketing and organizational design. Drawing on insights from North America and Southeast Asia, he explains why retailers must balance automation with human judgment, how AI is changing the path to purchase, and why relevance—not technology—will determine the winners of the next decade. If you're leading a retail business through rapid change, this conversation is essential listening. | — | ||||||
| 6/12/26 |  Julia Freeman, CEO of The Jilly Box, David Brownstein, President of Browns Shoes, and Selwyn Crittendon, CEO of IKEA Canada, Live on Stage at STORE 2026 | Recorded live at Retail Council of Canada's STORE Conference, this special edition brings together Julia Freeman, CEO of The Jilly Box, David Brownstein, President of Browns Shoes, and Selwyn Crittendon, CEO of IKEA Canada & Chief Sustainability Officer and new Retail Council of Canada Board Chair. The panel digs into practical AI adoption, store design and conversion, small-format expansion, the state of Canadian e-commerce, influencer marketing, sustainability as retail's new superpower, and the people-first strategies behind three very different retail success stories. | — | ||||||
| 6/5/26 |  Going Global in Uncertain Times with Matthew Merrilees , CEO North America, Global-e and Co-Host Jim Okamura from the Global eCommerce Leaders Forum✨ | global expansionretail challenges+4 | Matthew Merrilees | Global-eGlobal eCommerce Leaders Forum | — | global expansionretail+4 | — | 31m 30s | |
| 5/29/26 |  Retail’s AI Reckoning: Jackie Swanson, Managing Partner at Gartner Consulting on Winning the Agentic Future✨ | AI in retailagentic commerce+3 | Jackie Swanson | Gartner Consulting | — | AIretail+3 | — | 28m 46s | |
| 5/22/26 |  Deb Craven, President of Longo’s, on 70 Years of Retail Excellence and being named Retail Council of Canada’s Distinguished Retailer of the Year for 2026✨ | retail excellencegrocery shopping+5 | Deb Craven | Longo’sRetail Council of Canada | — | Longo’sretail+7 | — | 24m 31s | |
| 5/15/26 |  Stephen Bailey, Chief Marketing Officer at John Fluevog Shoes, on Building a Global Cult Retail Brand Through Community, Creativity & Retail Courage✨ | retail brandingcommunity building+4 | Stephen Bailey | John Fluevog Shoes | Vancouver | retailmarketing+5 | — | 31m 23s | |
| 5/8/26 |  AI Is Rewriting Food Retail & Brand Discovery with Guillaume Mathieu, Co-Founder & Partner, ilot, live on the stage at the SIAL Food Innovation Show, Montreal✨ | AI in food retailgrocery discovery+3 | Guillaume Mathieu | ilot | Montreal | AIfood retail+4 | — | 44m 36s | |
| 5/1/26 |  AI, Authenticity, and Retail Attention with Mid-Day Squares Co-Founder & Rainmaker Jake Karls and retail futurist and technology guru Carl Boutet, Live In Person from Montreal✨ | AIbrand-building+5 | Jake KarlsCarl Boutet | Mid-Day Squares | Montreal | AIretail+6 | — | 24m 53s | |
| 4/24/26 |  Mat Povse, President of Best Buy Canada, on People-First Leadership and Retail Reinvention (ENCORE)✨ | people-first leadershipretail reinvention+4 | Mat Povse | Best Buy Canada | Vancouver | Best Buyretail media+5 | — | 30m 45s | |
Want analysis for the episodes below?Free for Pro Submit a request, we'll have your selected episodes analyzed within an hour. Free, at no cost to you, for Pro users. | |||||||||
| 4/17/26 |  Navigating Global Trade Chaos with Jes Crownover, VP e-Commerce & Digital Solutions, Livingston International (from the Global eCommerce Leaders Podcast)✨ | global tradecross-border eCommerce+4 | Jes Crownover | Livingston InternationalUPS+1 | — | global tradecross-border eCommerce+5 | — | 36m 54s | |
| 4/10/26 |  Exclusive RCC STORE Preview: Rohit Sriram, Senior Vice-President, eCommerce at Loblaw on “AI That Powers a More Confident Customer Journey.”✨ | AI in retailcustomer experience+3 | Rohit Sriram | Loblaw Companies Limited | — | AIretail+5 | — | 21m 09s | |
| 4/3/26 |  Agentic Commerce and the Next Era of Retail Personalization: Trinadha Kandi, Managing Director – Customer & Marketing, Deloitte Digital✨ | retail personalizationAI in retail+3 | Trinadha Kandi | Deloitte DigitalAI | — | personalizationretail+5 | — | 29m 21s | |
| 3/27/26 |  The Gift of Store Traffic with Mark Ryski, Founder & CEO, HeadCount (ENCORE)✨ | store trafficretail dynamics+3 | Mark Ryski | HeadCountStore Traffic is a Gift | — | store trafficretail+4 | — | 27m 26s | |
| 3/20/26 |  RCC STORE 2026 Main-Stage Speaker & Global Design Visionary Jean-Pierre Lacroix: "Think Blink: Creating Deep, Lasting Emotional Brand Connections in the Blink of an Eye (ENCORE)✨ | brandingconsumer behavior+3 | Jean-Pierre Lacroix | SLDThink Blink: Creating Deep, Lasting Emotional Brand Connections in the Blink of an Eye | Toronto | brandingemotional connections+5 | — | 29m 16s | |
| 3/13/26 |  Martha McKimm of Hopson Grace & Shelley Simpson of Mud Australia on Craft, Curation and the Future of Retail Experience (ENCORE)✨ | modern retaile-commerce+4 | Martha McKimmShelley Simpson | Hopson GraceMud Australia | — | retail experiencecraft+4 | — | 35m 23s | |
| 3/6/26 |  Violence, Organized Theft and the Future of Retail Security with Rui Rodrigues, Loss Prevention Expert and RCC Advisor✨ | retail securityorganized retail crime+4 | Rui Rodrigues | Retail Council of Canada | — | retail securityorganized theft+4 | — | 31m 14s | |
| 2/27/26 |  Matthew Guiste, Global Retail Technology Strategist at Zebra Technologies, on AI, RFID & the Future of Frontline Retail | Live from Narvar podcasting studio at the NRF Big Show, Michael LeBlanc speaks with Matthew Guiste, Global Retail Technology Strategist at Zebra Technologies, about how AI, RFID, and frontline technology are transforming retail operations. They examine inventory accuracy gaps, self-checkout evolution, returns fraud, and the importance of equipping store associates with smarter tools. Guiste also shares a bold 10-year outlook on wearable AI and paperless retail environments. | — | ||||||
| 2/20/26 |  Tara Conway, Co-Founder of Commerce Rewired, on Retail AI, Workforce Evolution & Breaking Legacy Thinking | In this episode of The Voice of Retail, I sit down with my friend and colleague Tara Conway — retail leader, customer experience expert and co-founder of new media property Commerce Rewired. From clienteling innovation in Babies “R” Us to executive leadership at The Source to helping us understand AI-powered inventory planning, Tara breaks down where artificial intelligence is delivering real value — and where it’s just hype. We debate retail media, workforce disruption, leadership in the age of AI, and why remarkable retailers must shed legacy thinking to win in 2026 and beyond. | — | ||||||
| 2/13/26 |  Closing the Adaptation Gap: Rachel J. Calhoun, Global Retail Leader at Kyndryl, on AI & Commerce Transformation | Recorded live from the NRF Big Show in New York, I sit down with Rachel J. Calhoun, Global Leader for Retail, Consumer Goods and Travel at Kyndryl. In a fast-paced and wide-ranging episode, we dive into both the tradecraft of helping retailers adapt and integrate modern technology seamlessly and the real ROI of AI in retail — from reducing stockouts and modernizing commerce engines to closing what she calls the “adaptation gap” between consumer expectations and legacy systems. | — | ||||||
| 2/6/26 |  The Strategy Trap: Why Companies Fail At Execution and How To Get It Right with Retail Veteran and Author Kevin Ertell | Kevin Ertell, founder of Mistere Advisory, veteran retail operator joins The Voice of Retail to discuss his new book, The Strategy Trap: Why Companies Fail at Execution and How to Get It Right. Kevin explains why execution—not ideas—is where most strategies break down, and shares practical insights from his career at Tower Records, Nike, and beyond, including his “Six Cs of Execution” framework for building alignment, focus, and momentum. | — | ||||||
| 1/30/26 |  AI, Circular Commerce, and Global Growth: Jim Okamura, Partner at McMillanDoolittle, live from NRF Big Show | For my 500th episode, I sit down with Jim Okamura, Partner at McMillan Doolittle Live from Narvar podcasting studio at the NRF Big Show in New York. Jim is a long-time friend and colleague, and my partner in the Global eCommerce Leaders Forum (GELF) community, to unpack the biggest signals shaping retail’s future. From circular store models and luxury resale to AI-driven productivity and global commerce strategy, Jim explains why 2026 will be a defining year. We explore how retailers must simplify operations, rethink talent, and strengthen data governance to scale innovation and compete in a rapidly changing, borderless retail landscape. We finish with an update on the GELF community that brings together brands and retailers looking to expand globally. | — | ||||||
| 1/23/26 |  Retail’s Next Frontier: NYC Tour of Stores Debrief + Agentic Commerce Perspective with Jayme Johnson, Partner and Industry, IBM Consulting Canada | This week on The Voice of Retail, I’m joined by Jayme Johnson, Partner and Industry Leader, Consumer and Travel & Transportation Industries, IBM Consulting Canada. We unpack the biggest lessons from our New York retail store tour — from immersive flagships like Printemps and Gymshark to specialty concepts like Tecovas — and explore what authenticity and experience really mean in physical retail. Then we dive into IBM’s latest research on agentic commerce and how AI agents will soon be making purchasing decisions for consumers. If you want to understand where retail is heading — both in stores and in AI — this episode is for you. | — | ||||||
| 1/16/26 |  Holiday Truths, AI Myths, and the Canadian Consumer — Caila Schwartz, Director of Consumer Insights & Strategy, Salesforce | Recorded live from New York in the Narvar podcasting studio at the NRF Big Show, what really happened during Holiday 2025—and what does it mean for retail in 2026? I’m joined by Caila Schwartz, Director of Consumer Insights and Strategy at Salesforce. Drawing on data from 1.5 billion global shoppers, Caila explains why Canada outperformed the U.S., how Cyber Monday has become a hard psychological deadline, and why buy-online-pick-up-in-store surged in the final days before Christmas. We also cut through the AI hype to explain why agentic commerce is shifting from efficiency to customer experience. | — | ||||||
| 1/9/26 |  Re-Making Retail Magic: John Bayliss, CEO of Mastermind Toys, on Experience, Trust, and Franchising | John Bayliss, Chief Executive Officer of Mastermind Toys, joins The Voice of Retail to discuss specialty retail, omnichannel execution, and the launch of the company’s new franchising model. Bayliss explains how local ownership strengthens community connection while enabling national scale, and why experience, trust, and curated play are core to Mastermind’s strategy. The episode also explores seasonality, AI in retail, and long-term prospects for the toy category. | — | ||||||
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Chart Positions
2 placements across 2 markets.
Chart Positions
2 placements across 2 markets.