Hi friend,

I'm continuing the series of video interviews with Toronto-based high-impact public, nonprofit, and private sector leaders.

The latest episode of The Rășcanu Show features a conversation with Clyde Wagner, President & CEO of TO Live (the City of Toronto agency that manages three major civic theatres and acts as a creative hub).

You can watch the full interview with Clyde on YouTube here.​

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Here are three lessons I took away from our discussion:

1. Audit your empty spaces to build scaffolding
   ​Clyde realized that if a theater wasn’t rented, it was just a wasted resource. By creating the "Making Space" program, he turned "dead time" into a community investment.
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   What you can do: Identify an underutilized asset in your business (e.g., empty office hours, unused data, or a specialized tool). Instead of letting it sit idle, offer it for free or at a low cost to independent creators or startups in your niche. This builds "scaffolding" for your industry and earns you long-term loyalty that money can’t buy.
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2. Apply the purpose test to every efficiency drive
   ​Clyde was blunt with the city: amalgamating three buildings just to save a few dollars was a waste of time. It needed a purpose (such as celebrating Toronto’s diverse cultures) to actually succeed.
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   What you can do: The next time you are asked to cut costs or "streamline" a process, stop and ask: "If we achieve 100% efficiency but lose our core mission, is it still a win?" Write down a "Purpose Statement" for your current project. If the efficiency move doesn't serve that purpose, pivot the strategy before you lose the "soul" of the organization.
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3. Adopt a student mindset
   Clyde’s go-to move when facing a professional impasse isn't to work harder; it’s to go back to school. He views learning as the ultimate leverage to change your mindset when the world feels stagnant.
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   What you can do: Identify one "blind spot" or area where you feel stuck in your career. Instead of trying to "muscle through" with your current knowledge, sign up for a formal course, certification, or deep-dive workshop. The goal isn't just the credential; it’s the forced shift in perspective that comes from being a student again.

Are there any other take-aways that stood out to you?​
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Which other Toronto-based organizational leaders do you think I should interview next? Reply to this email and let me know. At this point, we have additional interviews booked with the Executive Director of the first Business Improvement Area in the world (which started in Toronto in 1970), the CEO of a construction industry firm, and a senior executive from UNICEF Canada.

Thank you for taking the time to read and reflect.

Until next time,
​Alex Rășcanu​
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P.S. If you'd like to read the past life lessons-focused e-newsletters, you can find them here.

P.P.S. See you at one of the upcoming monthly #ExperienceTO historical tours, such as the Kensington Market one on May 9th.