This article first appeared in the Toronto Star »
Toronto has become a hotbed for socially conscious startups, and Tonya Surman, founder and CEO of the Centre for Social Innovation, is a key ideawoman at the helm. Here, the local mover, shaker, and changemaker talks Ralph Nader, street parties, and why it’s okay to be number two.
What’s your personal work philosophy/mission statement?
Make social change and have fun doing it — I come back to this time and time again. I’m equal parts obsessed with purpose and product. We may or may not save the species, but I don’t want to compromise the quality of my life in the pursuit of the change I want to see.
What are you working on these days?
One of things I’m focusing on is, How do we become better connectors for our members? How do we accelerate their social impact? It sounds big, but practically everyone’s talking about entrepreneurship. Also, with four locations up and operating, we are certainly exploring our next stages for growth; we’re looking for a new building.
What’s your five-year plan?
Goal number one is to boost the success of our members, and goal two is to build a movement. We’re focused on supporting an incredible groundswell of people who want to be creators and being inclusive, but at the same time, we’re looking at corporate partnerships. My personal goal is to find a balance between “bigger is better” and “small is beautiful.” CSI believes (the latter), but you need to achieve a certain scale to influence the powers that be.
What makes Toronto a great place to work and live?
I have the incredible benefit of going back and forth to New York regularly, but I love this city like no other. It’s funny: I tell the world Toronto is number two in every (study), but I’m downright proud of that. We don’t have to be the best — we can be number two or three or four, but we’ve created a richness, a sense of possibility, and we work together to make everything happen. We don’t have a lot of the social barriers other places have. Plus, there’s a danger in becoming number one — everyone will come here and we’ll be like, “Oh, shoot.”
What is the single biggest issue facing the city right now?
Transit. It is the glue that connects us. The only thing I’m jealous of when I go to New York or London or Paris is their incredible networks and ability to move around their cities. That’s one thing I can get behind.
How do you stay involved in your community?
The CSI community is like nothing else, but I’m also an active part of a community called, “My Girlfriends” (laughs). A group of us had a co-operative daycare when our babies were little; we co-parented our kids from the ages of one to four. On our street, near High Park, we’ve hosted some of the best street parties ever. We have a joint basketball net. And this little group of families has stayed together for about 15 years. It’s our village.
Who was your most important mentor?
I think I draw on an amalgam of different people: Ralph Nader, no question, was a key person in my early years. I loved his sense of agency, that he could take on the system. I was very inspired by the humanity that Gandhi and Mandela brought to their social movements. And a woman named Jini Stolk who ran a little arts organization called Creative Trust. She’s the epitome of grace.
What sets you apart from other CEOs?
I believe in keeping it real. I’m not particularly good with pomp and circumstance and status; I never understood it, nor do I care. I really hope that people see me as accessible — like, if I can do it you can do it.
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