Show notes
This episode we welcome Drew Green, celebrated Canadien entrepreneur and CEO of the custom menswear retailer Indochino. In our fast-paced conversation we delve into how the rapidly growing apparel brand delivers a remarkable customer experience by creating one-of-a-kind garments through the marriage of digital technology, an innovative supply chain and a network of brick & mortar showrooms. We also learn how Indochino defied the retail apocalypse narrative to quickly grow to 79 showrooms and unpack Drew's "3 Win" philosophy that drove the company's exciting new partnership with Nordstrom. We open up the episode with our quick takes on recent retail news that caught out attention. First up we discuss some signs of a "great moderation" including the significant (albeit anticipated) decline in online grocery and a pull-back in UPS's parcel shipments. We also take on Disney's exit from physical stores and Tesla's planned move away from mall-based locations.NOTE: We'll be releasing episodes every two weeks through September 7, when we'll move back to a weekly format.Also be sure to check out our new YouTube channel. Drew GreenDREW GREENChief Executive Officer, President, DirectorDrew Green is an award winning Chief Executive Officer, entrepreneur and expert in managing fast-paced, high-growth companies. A visionary leader, Green has created one of the world's fastest growing apparel brands. Since 2015, he has established significant strategic capital, hired a world class management team and created global alliances (Dayang Group, Nordstrom and Postmedia) that has led to over +500% growth, significantly increasing profitability KPI's. Over the past six years, INDOCHINO created, launched and has expanded to 80 showrooms, employing over 800 people, with another 2200 people working daily in INDCOHINO’s factories in China, to produce the one of a kind garments each INDOCHINO customer creates.Previously recognized as top 40 under 40, as well as CEO of the year, Green has been recognized for his accomplishments throughout his career. Green has been awarded the Innovation in Retail award by the University of Alberta, Breakout Retailer of the Year by Chain Store Age, and selected as The Entrepreneur of the Year, by Ernst and Young. In 2019 Canadian Business announced that between 2015-2019, INDOCHINO was #1 fastest growing Canadian retailer, with sales globally, and 3rd fastest growing retailer in Canada, amongst retailers with revenues over $100M. A sought after expert, Green has presented to hundreds of thousands, and been quoted in more than 3,000 news articles, globally including in The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Globe and Mail, National Post, Washington Post, Toronto Star, Fortune, Forbes, Bloomberg, Huffington Post, TechCrunch, Bloomberg, BNN, CNN and CBC.Prior to INDOCHINO, Green founded and was Chief Executive Officer of SHOP.CA, Canada's first multi-merchant marketplace, which is now owned by EMERGE COMMERCE, (TSXV: ECOM) which he leads as Founder, Chairman and a major shareholder. Throughout his career, Drew has played key leadership roles at companies that have created billions in shareholder value through leadership roles at DoubleClick (acquired by Google), SHOP.COM (acquired by Market America) and Flontwork (acquired by DoubleClick).In 2011, upon his return to Canada, Drew founded DREWGREEN.CA INC. as a family office/fund set up to start, invest and work alongside entrepreneurs across Canada, with a mandate to create long term shareholder value. DREWGREEN.CA has founded, chair’d, and/or invested in over 30 companies that drive innovation and growth within and across multiple industries, including Direct to Consumer, ecommerce, omnichannel retail, esports, real estate / rentals , artificial intelligence -- and insurance, educational and property technologies. Steve Dennis is an advisor, keynote speaker and author on strategic growth and business innovation. You can learn more about Steve on his website. The expanded and revised edition of his bestselling book Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption is now available at Amazon or just about anywhere else books are sold. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior contributor and on Twitter and LinkedIn. You can also check out his speaker "sizzle" reel here.Michael LeBlanc is the Founder & President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc and a Senior Advisor to Retail Council of Canada as part of his advisory and consulting practice. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience, and has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael is the producer and host of a network of leading podcasts including Canada’s top retail industry podcast, The Voice of Retail, plus Global E-Commerce Tech Talks and The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois. You can learn more about Michael here or on LinkedIn.
About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.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 fourth year in a row, 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.