The Retail Insider Podcast Network · 2025-07-10 · 20 min
Craig Patterson and Tony Flanz , founder and CEO of Montreal-based brokerage Think Retail , discuss the 20-year journey of Think Retail, the Montreal-based brokerage firm founded by Flanz in 2005. Flanz shares the inspiration behind launching his business - a desire to provide a more personalized, white-glove service to clients - and reflects on his first client, Bizou, a relationship that blossomed into a deeply personal, multi-generational collaboration. His unwavering passion and client-first approach remain at the heart of Think Retail’s success, which continues to grow through long-term partnerships and strategic leasing across Canada. They explore milestone moments, including the pivotal Fossil mandate, early deals like American Apparel at Yorkdale, and the emotional story of Flanz’s philanthropic work with Autism Speaks. While building his firm, Flanz faced immense personal challenges - supporting a son diagnosed with autism and caring for a terminally ill wife - yet he continued to grow the business with resilience and optimism. He credits the brokerage as both a professional outlet and emotional anchor during these years.
