CEO Global Network Podcast
🎙 Hosted by John Wilson, founder of CEO Global Network and author of GREAT CEOs and How They Are Made, this podcast delivers powerful insights for CEOs and executives looking to grow as leaders and drive lasting success.
Each episode features candid conversations with high-performing business leaders, expert speakers, and industry trailblazers—all focused on sharpening your leadership edge, building resilient companies, and improving your life, your team, and your impact.
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CEO Global Network Podcast
Jennifer La Forge, GM of Rakuten Rewards Canada - Revolutionizing Consumer Behavior and Building High-Performing Teams
In this episode of the CEO Global Network Podcast, we sit down with Jennifer La Forge, General Manager of Rakuten Rewards Canada, to dive deep into how consumer behavior has drastically shifted in the digital age. Jennifer shares insights into how the rise of social commerce, influencer-driven purchasing, and seamless mobile shopping experiences are reshaping the retail industry.
We also explore Jennifer's leadership philosophy - how she builds autonomous, high-performing teams by leading with transparency, trust, and a commitment to consistency. As a recipient of the Globe and Mail's Best Executive Award in 2022, Jennifer reflects on the lessons that have shaped her career, the importance of aligning values with leadership, and how to make decisions with both data and gut instinct.
Tune in for a rich conversation on leadership, innovation, and the future of retail.
00:00 - John Wilson:
Jen, thank you so much for being on the CEO Global Network podcast. We really appreciate you taking the time. So welcome. It's great to have you here.
00:08 - Jennifer La Forge:
Thank you so much, John. Pleasure and an honor.
00:10 - John Wilson:
It's great to see you again. Now you've led Rakuten Rewards Canada to help members earn over a hundred million in cash back. That's a heck of a number. What's the biggest shift you've seen in how Canadians shop and save?
00:12 - Jennifer La Forge:
Yeah, thanks, John. That's a big question, but it's a great question. And if you look at the past decade of consumer behavior online, the biggest change is actually how we find and buy products. So if you go back to 2012, 13, 14, shopping online was far more intentional. You'd sit down at a computer and you're going to search on Google for what you need, maybe compare some options, and then you made your purchase. Where today, it's almost a complete opposite of that. We're living in a mobile-first, social-commerce world where the discovery is actually happening before the intent...
02:10 - John Wilson:
That's a huge shift, isn't it? Just a huge shift over that time. You know, you're known for building autonomous, high-performing teams. That's one of the secrets to your success. What's one unconventional way you build trust and independence in the teams that you lead?
02:12 - Jennifer La Forge:
Sure. I believe that so many paths to success in life, like building trust starts with consistency. People need to see that your words and your actions align and that you're showing up the same way whether things are going really bad or really well. So I make a point of being transparent, always sharing the why behind the decisions, not just that what...
04:00 - John Wilson:
Winning the 2022 Globe and Mail Best Executive Award is huge. What personal leadership lesson from that journey sticks with you the most?
04:10 - Jennifer La Forge:
Well, first, thank you, John. But love this question, because when you win an award in business, it's really easy for people to focus on that shiny moment at the end. But what you really take away is what happens in the trenches leading up to it. For me, one of the biggest lessons is that your team's your legacy...
05:10 - John Wilson:
Well, thank you for that excellent words of advice there around leadership. No question about it. How do you balance data-driven strategy with gut instinct when it comes to making some of the big calls?
05:22 - Jennifer La Forge:
Yeah, I do love data. For me, balancing a data-driven strategy with your gut instincts, it really comes down to knowing that if ever, rarely, you're getting 100% of the data that you need to make a decision...
06:41 - John Wilson:
You've worn many hats, Jen, through your career from marketing to operations to board leadership. Which role has stretched you the most, and why did it stretch you?
06:50 - Jennifer La Forge:
Yeah, this one took me a long time to really learn. But of all the roles that I've taken on, it was really leading sales that stretched me the most. I've always been more naturally drawn to areas like operations where I can get deep into systems and processes...
08:14 - John Wilson:
One last question, Jen. Easterseals is very close to your heart. How has your work there shaped how you lead and think about impact at Rakuten?
08:24 - Jennifer La Forge:
Yeah, sure. And I'm so glad you asked about Easter Seals Ontario. Serving on the board has fundamentally changed how I lead in a for-profit setting...
