Cycles of Philanthropic Retail: The Story of Obakki with Founder Treana Peake

Welcome to the The Voice of Retail , I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, and this podcast is brought to you in conjunction with Retail Council of Canada.

Treana Peake has devoted her life to spreading the care that she experienced in her smalltown, Albertan upbringing around the world.

As a philanthropist first, and a retailer second, Obakki has become a space for both utilizing and transforming the structures of traditional retail. Obakki is a purpose-led lifestyle brand that connects people through modern design. This online and Vancouver-based brick-and-mortar brand offers homeware products made by artisans all over the world while upholding three principles: sustainability, traceability and ethical production.

On this episode of The Voice of Retail, I sit down with Treana to talk about the story of Obakki, how she fosters a symbiotic relationship between philanthropy and retail, and how she manages intricate supply chains as an independent retailer in unprecedented times.

 

Thanks for tuning into today’s episode of The Voice of Retail.  Be sure to subscribe to the podcast so you don’t miss out on the latest episodes, industry news, and insights. If you enjoyed  this episode please consider leaving a rating and review, as it really helps us grow so that we can continue getting amazing guests on the show.

 

I’m your host Michael LeBlanc, President of M.E. LeBlanc & Company, and if you’re looking for more content, or want to chat  follow me on LinkedIn, or visit my website meleblanc.co!

 

Until next time, stay safe and have a great week!
 

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. 

Treana Peake passion for travel and eye for design, combined with her lifelong dedication to making a difference in the world, inspired her to launch Obakki in 2005. The Obakki Foundation, its philanthropic counterpart, followed shortly thereafter.

For decades she has travelled the globe, always on the lookout for opportunities to wander off the beaten path to connect with people and their stories.

Recognized as an influential speaker in the field of social entrepreneurship, Treana has spoken about modern philanthropic solutions in front of the U.S. Congress and the United Nations, and has been featured as a TED Talk presenter speaking on the power of selfless giving. In addition, her hands-on work in the field has been recognized and endorsed by the UN, UNICEF and The Carter Center. 

Treana has travelled to Africa over 70 times, often with the Obakki Foundation (our philanthropic counterpart), where she’s formed partnerships with people and communities that have lasted decades.

Treana herself meets with each of our artisan partners, fostering genuine relationships around the globe to ensure that the highest levels of dignity, respect and social responsibility are upheld as we work with these vital communities.

From remote villages in Mexico to the world's largest refugee resettlement area in Uganda, Treana consistently forms lasting relationships with Obakki’s artisan partners. She is committed to preserving, progressing, and celebrating the diverse craft cultures around the world—while also creating sustainable change.

The Voice of Retail podcast is presented by Hale, a performance marketing partner trusted by brands like ASICS, Saje, and Orangetheory to scale with focus and impact.

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.