What does it take to lead a city when everything is on fire... literally and figuratively?
In this episode, Nick Smoot sits down with longtime friend and civic leader Joe Toney, who has spent nearly two decades inside city government, including serving as City Manager of Malibu during the recent catastrophic wildfires.
Together, they dive deep into what’s breaking modern cities—and what might still save them.
From AI and remote work to affordability, isolation, and polarization, cities today are struggling under a storm of converging forces. Joe offers a rare inside look at the emotional, operational, and political pressure of managing a city during crisis, while Nick challenges what’s possible for the future of work, belonging, and civic life.
What You’ll Learn:
– What really happens behind the scenes when a city is in disaster
– Why cities can’t pivot fast—and what that costs
– The emotional toll of being “number two” in civic leadership
– Why purpose and community might be the best mental health infrastructure
– How policy and entrepreneurship could align to rebuild social fabric
– Whether AI, ambition, and affordability will break cities—or make them better
Who It’s For:
– City and civic leaders
– Entrepreneurs, policy makers, and reformers
– Anyone who cares about community, belonging, or the future of work
– People trying to lead something hard, in a time of instability
Quote Highlights:
“Running a city today is like steering a ship through a hurricane while everyone on board argues about the map.”“Belonging isn’t a luxury. It’s infrastructure.”“We expect city leaders to fix everything, fast, but they’re operating inside decades of decisions that weren’t built for now.”