June 19, 2025 • 26 mins
Your brain is operating on autopilot 94% of the time, and that number has increased since the pandemic. Ever put your keys in the refrigerator, forgotten your own birthday, or arrived somewhere with no memory of the drive? That's cognitive overload at work.
In this illuminating conversation, Dr. Cari Skrdla, neuroscientist and newly appointed VP of Strategic Partnerships at Multifamily Women®, reveals the science behind why we're all feeling overwhelmed. "The subconscious is life-sustaining," she explains, making decisions without our awareness when our mental capacity reaches its limit. For busy professionals managing teams, stakeholders, and family responsibilities, this cognitive strain can become unbearable - leading to memory issues, anxiety, and even major life decisions driven by an overloaded brain rather than conscious choice.
This growing understanding of how our minds function in today's information-saturated world has shaped the unique approach of the Multifamily Women Summit. Unlike traditional networking events that add to mental fatigue with their focus on performance and impression management, the Summit creates what Dr. Skrdla calls "a new world" where executive women can be fully present and authentic. From the music that activates the right brain hemisphere to the judgment-free environment where meaningful connections happen organically, every element is designed to disrupt patterns of overwhelm.
The conversation also reveals an exciting new initiative called "My Stage, My Story," giving women five minutes to share personal narratives of resilience and growth. The response has been overwhelming, demonstrating the power of vulnerable storytelling in a supportive community. Whether you're experiencing cognitive overload yourself or leading teams who might be struggling silently with these challenges, this episode offers both scientific insight and practical wisdom for finding clarity in an overwhelming world.
Register at multifamilywomen.com to experience the unique environment where executive women come not just to learn but to truly connect, reset, and return to their lives with renewed focus and energy.
Connect with Multifamily Women®:
Carrie Antrim on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carrieantrim/
Multifamily Women® Summit: https://multifamilywomen.com/
Be a Guest on the Podcast or at the Summit: https://apps.multifamilywomen.com/speakingrequest
Multifamily Women® Leadership Series: https://apps.multifamilywomen.com/join
Multifamily Innovation® Council: https://multifamilyinnovation.com/council/
Multifamily Innovation® Summit: https://multifamilyinnovation.com/
Best Places to Work Multifamily®: https://bestplacestoworkmultifamily.com/
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Hi, I'm Keri Antrum, founder of Multifamily Women,
and I am joined here today withDr Keri Skrdla.
We have some exciting news.
Dr Skrdla is now our VicePresident of Strategic
Partnerships with MultifamilyWomen, and so we're so excited
to have her join the team.
Welcome.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Thank you so much.
I'm so glad to be here.
You know I love everythingabout multifamily leadership,
specifically multifamily women,and to now be officially a part
of the team.
It's just the thrill.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
You've been a part of the family for a while now.
So Dr Carrie started as a Ithink the very first time I
interviewed you on stage andthen I was like give this lady
the stage.
So since then you've hadkeynote, but you've been an
attendee, you've been a speaker,you've experienced the whole
thing for quite a few years.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
And I'm not just saying this this is my favorite
annual event Mine too.
I'm glad to hear that.
That's good news, carrie, butit is because of just the
environment and the women and somany that I've connected with
and I, I just I have to give youa shout out for creating such
(01:11):
an amazing space that you havean opportunity to walk into and
immediately just feel connectedwith everyone in there.
You know, it's not one of thosewomen events where I'm
questioning if I have on theright shoes and you know all of
that, and it's like a big oldhug fest of executive women
(01:32):
coming together just to relaxand release.
And yeah, we got someinformation for you, but it's
not going to add to, um, thepressures that you came there to
alleviate yourself from.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Exactly.
I think um myself, I'm notnaturally an extrovert and so
going to a conference or anykind of big events where I don't
know anyone or I only know theone person and my best friend is
an extrovert I know the minuteI walk in the door, she's across
the room and I'm like in thecorner that I wanted to avoid
that at all costs, and I thinkthat we've done a good job over
(02:05):
the past six years of creatingexperiences where you're just
automatically becoming bestfriends because of everything
that's going around and going onaround you and I know that I
always see as soon as you getoff the stage you're swarmed
with women, and I know thatyou've made some amazing
connections throughout the years.
(02:26):
It's been great to watch and,like you said, every year that
we go back, it's almost like afamily reunion.
It really is.
And even for the new people whohave never attended before,
they come in and they're likewow, everybody's actually like
really nice.
Nobody's judging my shoes, youknow, or my dress or where I'm
from.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
You're immediately a part of what you've created and
what we continue to expand.
Yeah, like you said, the family.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Right yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
I'm excited for this year because I think our theme
is clarity.
I don't know about you, but, um, the first half of 2025 has
been a ride for me personally.
We've had deaths in the family,we've had struggles all of
these challenges and it seemedlike they all happened in the
last six months, and I think I'mnot alone.
(03:17):
I would imagine I'm not alonein saying that and so, for me,
getting clear on exactly what wewant to accomplish this year at
the summit and what we're goingto talk about, and that all of
the topics and all of the peoplewho are going to be there, has
been really helpful for me innot feeling that overwhelmed.
(03:39):
Right, you mentioned, I heardyou talking with Patrick last
week and you said the wordscognitive overload, yeah,
overload, and I was like ding,ding, ding.
Immediately.
Wait, I have that.
Let's talk more about that.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Yes, I'd love to, because, you know, looking at
when I've um.
Well, let me just start with um, what I do as a neuroscientist,
right, so it really falls inthe category of social science,
right, cognitive behavior, and Iget the.
I have the honor and theprivilege to observe humanity,
(04:12):
right, and be a part of researchteams and, post pandemic, I was
on a research team where wewere looking at how, prior to it
, we kind of concluded thathuman beings are not present,
okay, and at that point, beforethe pandemic, not present
(04:35):
consciously, around 86% of thetime.
Wow, right Now it's up to 94%.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
So when you say not present, what does that mean?
We're just going through themotion.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
We're just our, our subconscious, exactly, it's
going through the motions, it'srunning programs for you, right?
And you know, at events, I'vehad people really understand, um
, how programs work, cause I'llsay something like here's a
story of a lovely lady right.
See, it went there now.
(05:09):
I'm older than you, carrie, soI remember that show and it
aired in real time.
But then here you are, you'rewatching that, that jingle.
So many people have that, andthe entire narrative that the
jingle and everything broughtwith it.
Yeah, right.
And so when you look at whathappened during the pandemic
(05:30):
with so much online, right andthere you are and we became
conditioned Programs began totake hold of running daily
operations of the individual,the human being.
Right or I have to be on a Zoomcall and saw a click and we
don't relate that or connectthat to the exact same behavior
(05:53):
that is storing and recalling ajingle or a commercial.
Exactly Right, and it's thesame thing.
Another good way I'veillustrated this in my personal
favorite is to talk about thefirst time you drove a car.
You're learning to drive a car.
We all kind of get the sameinstructions you know it's
(06:15):
started, foot on the brake, putit in gear, give it a little gas
and you can hear your own heartjust pounding.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
Yes, I remember that very well.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Right now.
I drove here.
My my drive this morning was ahour and 15 minutes and I'm
listening to just some audiorecordings.
I don't remember coming herebecause my subconscious drove
the car.
Yep, what happened?
What's happening to us, thoseof us in the workforce, those of
us that have the really biglives, like a lot of the women,
(06:45):
our family that show up.
They've got children,grandchildren, husbands all of
this responsibility, and theoverload is coming from the
subconscious, literally sayingyou don't have any RAM left, you
don't have any memory left, youdon't have anywhere for me to
store this.
Wow, and so now what we'reseeing is there are important
(07:07):
things that people areforgetting and they think it's
them.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Yes, okay, I do, I think it's me Right.
Sometimes I think I'm losing mymind, exactly.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
That's what it feels like.
Well, if you think about yourcomputer, you know what it
starts to run slow when we havetoo much on it, right, or it may
crash.
The exact same thing ishappening to us, the human being
right between our two ears,Right.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
When you put your car keys in the refrigerator or
things like that.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Or forget your own birthday.
I did that.
Maybe I wanted to.
It was my 60th, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
I mean, I think you get to a certain point where
you're like I don't know, Icould be this age.
I mean, I think you get to acertain point where you're like
I don't know, I could be thisage, I could be this age.
Who cares?
Speaker 2 (07:46):
I've seen people say that I'm like you know how old
are you?
And they're like, let me think,or how long have you been
married?
Those used to be things thatwere immediately present for
people and now again, you know,you've got a lot of people
conducting business online.
The way the light andeverything is going into the
(08:17):
human mind is actually causingus more and more to deal with
anxiety from overload, cognitiveoverload.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
I cannot have one more piece of information coming
in.
Yep, right, yep, yeah.
That's funny that you said that.
I saw there's this woman whodoes a series of TikToks or
funny videos, and her wholething is how long will this task
actually take me?
And when you talk about likeanxiety because we have the list
just gets longer and longerSometimes, when I sit down and I
actually just do the darn thing, it didn't take me that long.
(08:43):
It wasn't the giant overwhelmthat I made in my mind.
I just I did it and it's doneand now I feel so much better.
But that buildup, I think, is ahuge part of the overwhelm and
the anxiety and the subconsciousis life sustaining.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
So it's like no, no more You're going to die.
It's really under theimpression that it's saving your
life.
And what I love so much aboutour annual event is the space
that people get to enter andjust relax, you know, and and to
let all of that go, becauseyour brain will actually start
(09:22):
to filter things out for you.
It will, and I've connectedthis to I don't want to go too
deep into it, but I've connectedit into decisions that people
make to distance themselves fromold friends or family members,
even some entering into divorce,because the challenges and
(09:42):
issues that they need to faceare taking up so much space.
Right, they're like no, I needto focus on my career.
Not realizing the subconsciousmade that decision for you
because that's life sustaining,interesting, to keep your career
, to keep the money.
It's in that category as towhat's going to keep you alive.
(10:05):
Therefore, the spouse isoptional and this is why it's so
important to have events likeours, because it's a conscious
space.
Right, everything is disruptedthe moment I walk into that
space.
I love the concerns at homeabout my grandchildren and their
table manners.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
I love the concerns at home about my grandchildren
and their table manners.
I hope you're not thinkingabout their table manners at the
summit.
No, when I come in there.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
It's just, instantly, just, I'm present here in this
space.
Last year's event you mentioneddeath in the family.
I walked in and this was twoweeks after my brother, we had
buried my brother and my motherrelocated out here.
She's 95.
I was greeted by so many womenwith so much love.
(10:53):
They were like Dr Carrie, areyou okay?
And I wasn't even aware thatthey were aware of it.
Right, right, I came to serveand got served.
That's amazing, yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
I love that.
To serve and got served, that'samazing.
Yeah, I love that, um, and thatis such a good point because a
lot of times, we're taking careof everyone and everything the
women who are at the summit.
They're managing up andmanaging down.
You know, they've got theironsite teams, they've got their
owners, investors, so who'staking care of them Exactly?
And that's we're being sointentional this year about
(11:28):
everything that happens All ofour speakers.
It's about who's taking care ofyou and are you taking care of
yourself, right, right, because,like I said, I don't think I'm
the only one who's had a toughyear.
That's been weird.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
No, I mean, just in general, it's been weird.
So this is our time to like canyou believe that we're already
halfway through the year?
No, I cannot.
I'm like, was there a time?
Speaker 1 (11:51):
jump.
I don't know I got.
I got an email from our venueand it was like 90 days until
your summit and I was like,excuse me, right, I'm sorry,
what that's right around?
It's only February right now.
Exactly, yeah, it's onlyFebruary right now.
Exactly, yeah, yeah, so, um, I,yeah, I, uh am excited.
Like I mentioned, we have allof our speakers are aligned on
(12:14):
the same page.
You're heading up our strategicpartnerships.
I don't know if you want totalk a little bit about what
that means and what you're doing.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
So every year, and even though I'm new to the role,
like you said, I've been a partof the family just an honored
member really and so it's a veryattractive event for all of the
things we've already discussed.
So what I'm doing is connectingwith people who really want to
participate as partners.
(12:42):
That's how we view sponsorshiphere at Multifamily is you're a
partner, and what I love so muchabout our engagement strategy
is, yes, it's providingsolutions to our members, to our
attendees, but it's alsohighlighting what the sponsor is
(13:07):
bringing to the table and notjust at that event.
Right, right, they have anopportunity to to participate in
the podcast, and there is thisyear long engagement with
everything that we're doing,where they're invited to the
table as partners, as familymembers, and they can be
showcased through our platforms,and I love that.
(13:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Yeah, that's a great opportunity.
It is and we have a lot ofreturning sponsors who see that
value and understand it andthey've made the like you said.
When you walk in the door andpeople are hugging you, like
they're making the sameconnection, which is harder to
do, I think it.
You know some other events andthings like that because it's
not so close, you don't get tohave that connection with one
(13:52):
another and in that type ofenvironment and you've already
mentioned how many connectionsI've made.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Um, I won't mention any names, but I've spoken with
individuals that you know.
In an environment like that,partnerships can come up or
other business opportunities,and it's not about networking
and your best elevator pitchExactly.
(14:20):
None of that, or your uniquevalue proposition and all of the
things that we've learned fromwhat I've started to call the
force field of business, right,I think the last time I was on
stage I talked about that, thiswhole world where, um, you know,
there's competition and, uh,let me get my card over there, I
have to meet that person.
(14:42):
No, it's just an environmentwhere you're in the ladies room,
for example, and all of asudden, the perfect contact is
the one in there handing you apaper towel to dry your hands
with, right, and so that is, umto me, a new world.
That, whether you intended toopen that up, you did, and
(15:03):
that's the kind of world that Iwant to live in, where people
are really collaborating, um,where people are celebrating
each other Like, I love theawards ceremony and all of that
and people are reallycelebrating each other and not
taking each other out.
Yes, and if I dare say this,not to offend anyone, but to
(15:24):
accomplish that with a group ofwomen, right, when, historically
I did the research on it,historically women have been,
but there's something to thatthat I don't see at all.
(15:54):
Um, and if you are someonethat's interested in sponsorship
, know that you are contributingto that in a in a very
beautiful way by bringing youroffering into that environment
right and into an environmentlike that.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
Yeah, yeah, I also.
That leads perfectly into ournew um, what we've just launched
with my stage, my story.
So I don't know.
This is new and I've beentrying to put it out there.
Our team's been on social mediaand having me film videos and
do all these crazy things, but Ican't even.
I'm honestly at a loss forwords at the response that we've
(16:34):
gotten.
So we had this idea like everysummit, there's these
conversations You're probably inquite a few of them that are
happening off stage aftersomeone's done speaking.
You know, in the while we'reeating lunch or dinner, having
cocktails, there's all these andpeople.
Did you hear what Joanne?
Did you hear what she's beenthrough or how she got here?
(16:55):
Did you hear about Lisa, whatyou know?
And I'm like, no, I didn't.
I didn't hear her.
I was on stage, right.
So we realized all of theseamazing women have all of these
amazing stories about howmultifamily has changed their
lives in some way.
And we thought, well, how do weget more?
Because our whole platform,from the very beginning, is
(17:17):
finding the leaders wherethey're at and shining the light
on them, because they're busy,they're working, they might not
be submitting oh, I'd like tospeak.
That's not even on their radar.
But I want them to know like wesee you, we see what you're
doing, we know you have a storyand we're going to make you get
on stage, whether you want to ornot.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Kidding it's your, but it's your time, it's your
moment Right.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
There's so many and there's just, you know, so many
and not enough time, but um, sowith this new launch, we're
allowing women to tell theirstory.
They get five minutes becausethere's so many.
I know that five minutes is notenough.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
That's a lot of time actually.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Well, when you're solo on stage and the lights are
on.
Exactly that is true, and theresponse that we've gotten so
far is I did not expect to justbe sobbing at my desk every day
when I get a new submission, butthat's where we're at right now
in a good way, because thesewomen have overcome such
unbelievable challenges,obstacles, hardships, and now
(18:24):
they're thriving and all theywant to do.
They're not professionalspeakers.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
All they want to do is tell their story and help
somebody else.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
They want to provide value.
They're not taking their givinglike and it's just it's like
gives me chills.
I know I'm over here I'mgetting.
I'll show you some of thesubmissions.
It's unbelievable.
I cannot wait for this.
I'm very excited.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
That's part of like you're really creating, opening
up.
I say it this way I've toldpeople Carrie Antrim is giving
birth to a new world.
Seriously, I'll take that.
It's a new way.
The old ways have reallyexpired.
Yes, I agree, and what I tellpeople about all of our events
(19:05):
really but multifamily womenjust staying with that is, if
you come there, you're notcoming to get another template
or a funnel recipe or any ofthose things, right?
No, you're coming to beliberated from all of that and
you're going to get some reallycool information to take back to
(19:27):
your office.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
Absolutely, of course , from the women who are doing
it every day Exactly, and itmight be info that's not out
there.
They're like hey, this workedfor me, this did not, you know.
And just opening minds, bothpersonally and professionally.
You know, we're all about womenrising in every way.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
You know, you, even at um, um, at the event, when
you walk into the ladies room,people are in there just sharing
and come, you go in the ladiesroom at one of our, at our
events, and you can't get out,you can't.
There's like fellowship goingon.
So I don't know if it was youthat said we have to make sure
that you've got the monitor inthe ladies room on, because I've
(20:11):
been in there before and I'mlike talking and just
fellowshipping and hugging, andthen I'm like I think I'm next.
Right, I have to go.
You know we're like laughing.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
That's when I'm on stage and I'm like one, two,
three, all eyes on me because Ican't get everyone to just come.
I'm like, okay, next yearlonger breaks in between.
I get it, I hear you, I see you.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
Yes, Also, I love the music and the energy.
We've got high energy, we'vegot dancing vocals right All of
the things that really appeal tothe female brain.
And when you look at thedifference between our brains,
you know men they have bigbrains and ours are smaller, but
(20:55):
we access both hemisphereseffectively.
And when we are too far in theleft hemisphere, where all of
the logic and the analyticalaspects Well, I'm that way as
well, and I just remember it wasmy therapist that told me you
need to just start sketching andhe just had me drawing circles
(21:20):
and I was drawing circles andthen one day I sketched a tree
that I remembered from mychildhood and my daughter looked
at it and she said how longhave you been able to do that?
And I was like since I was a kidand she said when did you stop
sketching?
I said when my mother told meit was time to get serious.
Well, yeah, you have to get ajob, exactly Right.
(21:41):
And but art and science,they're really tied together and
every time I'm at our event andI see women.
That's what I want to do is getthem fully into that shift of
the right hemisphere, and I'veworked and labored so hard at
other events to do that andstill couldn't get there.
These ladies come in pop,locking, dancing right and and
(22:07):
even though everyone has a titleyou know, vp and above they're
right there in the thick of itjust letting go of all of that
and the whole world that goeswith it.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
I think it's such a pattern reset, because you don't
expect that from a corporateconference, right, we're not a
conference, we're a summit.
A summit not a conference,we're a summit.
Um, and that's something Ilearned from Patrick 10 years
ago was music, is that immediatetrigger, and if it's good music
, it's a great trigger for justletting go.
(22:42):
And um, I mean, we joke all thetime If you go to a concert and
you see your favorite band andthey only play their, their
brand new music, that youhaven't had a chance to like
learn yet and it never works.
This is great, but if they playthe hits, right.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
It's a great concert because it's triggering just
that, that nostalgia, and youknow the camaraderie and you're
singing loud and you're lookingat somebody over here.
Music definitely is a greatthing to bring everybody
together.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
It is.
That's been a big part of ourwhole culture and it's not a
requirement to dance.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
Okay, but I think you probably will Exactly, or at
least move your shoulders orsomething You'll be singing
along in your head for sure.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
So well, I guess, if you're on the fence about
attending or sponsoring orapplying for my stage my story
let this be your sign to just doit.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Yeah Right, I mean just do it and then really you
know I have to.
I mean, that's what I do, likeI?
I challenge humanity.
Why are you on the fence?
Look at what your hesitationmight be.
Is your hesitation becauseyou're concerned about how you
speak or something about yourappearance, or no one wants to
(24:02):
hear this?
Do I share this?
Am I going to be embarrassed?
That's the human brain.
That's just going to give youmore cognitive overload.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
We had all those thoughts half an hour ago,
before we sat down, we did.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
I was like I need this table.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
My gut doesn't show right.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
Yeah, it's real, but in that environment it just kind
of disappears.
And so just throw your hat overthe wall, put yourself in um,
step out.
You won't regret being asponsor with us not even a
little bit, and I'm I'm puttingmy credentials on that.
I am, and also um attending theevent.
Do both.
(24:40):
But if you have a compellingstory and it was your moment in
time and you were more than youthought you could be, you owe it
to yourself to contribute thatto humanity and we would really
appreciate it.
Yeah.
Get your five minutes right.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Absolutely, yeah, absolutely, yeah.
Well, I don't have anything tofollow that up.
That was beautiful.
Thanks for sharing the timetoday.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Thank you so much.
I'm really thrilled about beinghere.
Ever since I first saw thiswoman, I was like I want to be
her friend, right.
Remember when kids used to go?
Let's new family moved in downthe street.
Let's go make friends, right,yep.
So I'm really glad to be here.
I'm really glad we're friends.
Yeah, me too.
We're happy to have you.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
Yeah, so anyway, thanks for listening.
Go to multifamilywomencom andget your ticket today.
Hi, I'm Keri Antrum, founder of Multifamily Women,
and I am joined here today withDr Keri Skrdla.
We have some exciting news.
Dr Skrdla is now our VicePresident of Strategic
Partnerships with MultifamilyWomen, and so we're so excited
to have her join the team.
Welcome.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
Thank you so much.
I'm so glad to be here.
You know I love everythingabout multifamily leadership,
specifically multifamily women,and to now be officially a part
of the team.
It's just the thrill.
Speaker 1 (00:31):
You've been a part of the family for a while now.
So Dr Carrie started as a Ithink the very first time I
interviewed you on stage andthen I was like give this lady
the stage.
So since then you've hadkeynote, but you've been an
attendee, you've been a speaker,you've experienced the whole
thing for quite a few years.
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:50):
And I'm not just saying this this is my favorite
annual event Mine too.
I'm glad to hear that.
That's good news, carrie, butit is because of just the
environment and the women and somany that I've connected with
and I, I just I have to give youa shout out for creating such
(01:11):
an amazing space that you havean opportunity to walk into and
immediately just feel connectedwith everyone in there.
You know, it's not one of thosewomen events where I'm
questioning if I have on theright shoes and you know all of
that, and it's like a big oldhug fest of executive women
(01:32):
coming together just to relaxand release.
And yeah, we got someinformation for you, but it's
not going to add to, um, thepressures that you came there to
alleviate yourself from.
Speaker 1 (01:43):
Exactly.
I think um myself, I'm notnaturally an extrovert and so
going to a conference or anykind of big events where I don't
know anyone or I only know theone person and my best friend is
an extrovert I know the minuteI walk in the door, she's across
the room and I'm like in thecorner that I wanted to avoid
that at all costs, and I thinkthat we've done a good job over
(02:05):
the past six years of creatingexperiences where you're just
automatically becoming bestfriends because of everything
that's going around and going onaround you and I know that I
always see as soon as you getoff the stage you're swarmed
with women, and I know thatyou've made some amazing
connections throughout the years.
(02:26):
It's been great to watch and,like you said, every year that
we go back, it's almost like afamily reunion.
It really is.
And even for the new people whohave never attended before,
they come in and they're likewow, everybody's actually like
really nice.
Nobody's judging my shoes, youknow, or my dress or where I'm
from.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
You're immediately a part of what you've created and
what we continue to expand.
Yeah, like you said, the family.
Speaker 1 (02:52):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
Right yeah.
Speaker 1 (02:54):
I'm excited for this year because I think our theme
is clarity.
I don't know about you, but, um, the first half of 2025 has
been a ride for me personally.
We've had deaths in the family,we've had struggles all of
these challenges and it seemedlike they all happened in the
last six months, and I think I'mnot alone.
(03:17):
I would imagine I'm not alonein saying that and so, for me,
getting clear on exactly what wewant to accomplish this year at
the summit and what we're goingto talk about, and that all of
the topics and all of the peoplewho are going to be there, has
been really helpful for me innot feeling that overwhelmed.
(03:39):
Right, you mentioned, I heardyou talking with Patrick last
week and you said the wordscognitive overload, yeah,
overload, and I was like ding,ding, ding.
Immediately.
Wait, I have that.
Let's talk more about that.
Speaker 2 (03:51):
Yes, I'd love to, because, you know, looking at
when I've um.
Well, let me just start with um, what I do as a neuroscientist,
right, so it really falls inthe category of social science,
right, cognitive behavior, and Iget the.
I have the honor and theprivilege to observe humanity,
(04:12):
right, and be a part of researchteams and, post pandemic, I was
on a research team where wewere looking at how, prior to it
, we kind of concluded thathuman beings are not present,
okay, and at that point, beforethe pandemic, not present
(04:35):
consciously, around 86% of thetime.
Wow, right Now it's up to 94%.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
So when you say not present, what does that mean?
We're just going through themotion.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
We're just our, our subconscious, exactly, it's
going through the motions, it'srunning programs for you, right?
And you know, at events, I'vehad people really understand, um
, how programs work, cause I'llsay something like here's a
story of a lovely lady right.
See, it went there now.
(05:09):
I'm older than you, carrie, soI remember that show and it
aired in real time.
But then here you are, you'rewatching that, that jingle.
So many people have that, andthe entire narrative that the
jingle and everything broughtwith it.
Yeah, right.
And so when you look at whathappened during the pandemic
(05:30):
with so much online, right andthere you are and we became
conditioned Programs began totake hold of running daily
operations of the individual,the human being.
Right or I have to be on a Zoomcall and saw a click and we
don't relate that or connectthat to the exact same behavior
(05:53):
that is storing and recalling ajingle or a commercial.
Exactly Right, and it's thesame thing.
Another good way I'veillustrated this in my personal
favorite is to talk about thefirst time you drove a car.
You're learning to drive a car.
We all kind of get the sameinstructions you know it's
(06:15):
started, foot on the brake, putit in gear, give it a little gas
and you can hear your own heartjust pounding.
Speaker 1 (06:22):
Yes, I remember that very well.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Right now.
I drove here.
My my drive this morning was ahour and 15 minutes and I'm
listening to just some audiorecordings.
I don't remember coming herebecause my subconscious drove
the car.
Yep, what happened?
What's happening to us, thoseof us in the workforce, those of
us that have the really biglives, like a lot of the women,
(06:45):
our family that show up.
They've got children,grandchildren, husbands all of
this responsibility, and theoverload is coming from the
subconscious, literally sayingyou don't have any RAM left, you
don't have any memory left, youdon't have anywhere for me to
store this.
Wow, and so now what we'reseeing is there are important
(07:07):
things that people areforgetting and they think it's
them.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
Yes, okay, I do, I think it's me Right.
Sometimes I think I'm losing mymind, exactly.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
That's what it feels like.
Well, if you think about yourcomputer, you know what it
starts to run slow when we havetoo much on it, right, or it may
crash.
The exact same thing ishappening to us, the human being
right between our two ears,Right.
Speaker 1 (07:30):
When you put your car keys in the refrigerator or
things like that.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Or forget your own birthday.
I did that.
Maybe I wanted to.
It was my 60th, I don't know.
Speaker 1 (07:40):
I mean, I think you get to a certain point where
you're like I don't know, Icould be this age.
I mean, I think you get to acertain point where you're like
I don't know, I could be thisage, I could be this age.
Who cares?
Speaker 2 (07:46):
I've seen people say that I'm like you know how old
are you?
And they're like, let me think,or how long have you been
married?
Those used to be things thatwere immediately present for
people and now again, you know,you've got a lot of people
conducting business online.
The way the light andeverything is going into the
(08:17):
human mind is actually causingus more and more to deal with
anxiety from overload, cognitiveoverload.
Speaker 1 (08:19):
I cannot have one more piece of information coming
in.
Yep, right, yep, yeah.
That's funny that you said that.
I saw there's this woman whodoes a series of TikToks or
funny videos, and her wholething is how long will this task
actually take me?
And when you talk about likeanxiety because we have the list
just gets longer and longerSometimes, when I sit down and I
actually just do the darn thing, it didn't take me that long.
(08:43):
It wasn't the giant overwhelmthat I made in my mind.
I just I did it and it's doneand now I feel so much better.
But that buildup, I think, is ahuge part of the overwhelm and
the anxiety and the subconsciousis life sustaining.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
So it's like no, no more You're going to die.
It's really under theimpression that it's saving your
life.
And what I love so much aboutour annual event is the space
that people get to enter andjust relax, you know, and and to
let all of that go, becauseyour brain will actually start
(09:22):
to filter things out for you.
It will, and I've connectedthis to I don't want to go too
deep into it, but I've connectedit into decisions that people
make to distance themselves fromold friends or family members,
even some entering into divorce,because the challenges and
(09:42):
issues that they need to faceare taking up so much space.
Right, they're like no, I needto focus on my career.
Not realizing the subconsciousmade that decision for you
because that's life sustaining,interesting, to keep your career
, to keep the money.
It's in that category as towhat's going to keep you alive.
(10:05):
Therefore, the spouse isoptional and this is why it's so
important to have events likeours, because it's a conscious
space.
Right, everything is disruptedthe moment I walk into that
space.
I love the concerns at homeabout my grandchildren and their
table manners.
Speaker 1 (10:26):
I love the concerns at home about my grandchildren
and their table manners.
I hope you're not thinkingabout their table manners at the
summit.
No, when I come in there.
Speaker 2 (10:31):
It's just, instantly, just, I'm present here in this
space.
Last year's event you mentioneddeath in the family.
I walked in and this was twoweeks after my brother, we had
buried my brother and my motherrelocated out here.
She's 95.
I was greeted by so many womenwith so much love.
(10:53):
They were like Dr Carrie, areyou okay?
And I wasn't even aware thatthey were aware of it.
Right, right, I came to serveand got served.
That's amazing, yeah.
Speaker 1 (11:05):
I love that.
To serve and got served, that'samazing.
Yeah, I love that, um, and thatis such a good point because a
lot of times, we're taking careof everyone and everything the
women who are at the summit.
They're managing up andmanaging down.
You know, they've got theironsite teams, they've got their
owners, investors, so who'staking care of them Exactly?
And that's we're being sointentional this year about
(11:28):
everything that happens All ofour speakers.
It's about who's taking care ofyou and are you taking care of
yourself, right, right, because,like I said, I don't think I'm
the only one who's had a toughyear.
That's been weird.
Speaker 2 (11:40):
No, I mean, just in general, it's been weird.
So this is our time to like canyou believe that we're already
halfway through the year?
No, I cannot.
I'm like, was there a time?
Speaker 1 (11:51):
jump.
I don't know I got.
I got an email from our venueand it was like 90 days until
your summit and I was like,excuse me, right, I'm sorry,
what that's right around?
It's only February right now.
Exactly, yeah, it's onlyFebruary right now.
Exactly, yeah, yeah, so, um, I,yeah, I, uh am excited.
Like I mentioned, we have allof our speakers are aligned on
(12:14):
the same page.
You're heading up our strategicpartnerships.
I don't know if you want totalk a little bit about what
that means and what you're doing.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
So every year, and even though I'm new to the role,
like you said, I've been a partof the family just an honored
member really and so it's a veryattractive event for all of the
things we've already discussed.
So what I'm doing is connectingwith people who really want to
participate as partners.
(12:42):
That's how we view sponsorshiphere at Multifamily is you're a
partner, and what I love so muchabout our engagement strategy
is, yes, it's providingsolutions to our members, to our
attendees, but it's alsohighlighting what the sponsor is
(13:07):
bringing to the table and notjust at that event.
Right, right, they have anopportunity to to participate in
the podcast, and there is thisyear long engagement with
everything that we're doing,where they're invited to the
table as partners, as familymembers, and they can be
showcased through our platforms,and I love that.
(13:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:30):
Yeah, that's a great opportunity.
It is and we have a lot ofreturning sponsors who see that
value and understand it andthey've made the like you said.
When you walk in the door andpeople are hugging you, like
they're making the sameconnection, which is harder to
do, I think it.
You know some other events andthings like that because it's
not so close, you don't get tohave that connection with one
(13:52):
another and in that type ofenvironment and you've already
mentioned how many connectionsI've made.
Speaker 2 (13:59):
Um, I won't mention any names, but I've spoken with
individuals that you know.
In an environment like that,partnerships can come up or
other business opportunities,and it's not about networking
and your best elevator pitchExactly.
(14:20):
None of that, or your uniquevalue proposition and all of the
things that we've learned fromwhat I've started to call the
force field of business, right,I think the last time I was on
stage I talked about that, thiswhole world where, um, you know,
there's competition and, uh,let me get my card over there, I
have to meet that person.
(14:42):
No, it's just an environmentwhere you're in the ladies room,
for example, and all of asudden, the perfect contact is
the one in there handing you apaper towel to dry your hands
with, right, and so that is, umto me, a new world.
That, whether you intended toopen that up, you did, and
(15:03):
that's the kind of world that Iwant to live in, where people
are really collaborating, um,where people are celebrating
each other Like, I love theawards ceremony and all of that
and people are reallycelebrating each other and not
taking each other out.
Yes, and if I dare say this,not to offend anyone, but to
(15:24):
accomplish that with a group ofwomen, right, when, historically
I did the research on it,historically women have been,
but there's something to thatthat I don't see at all.
(15:54):
Um, and if you are someonethat's interested in sponsorship
, know that you are contributingto that in a in a very
beautiful way by bringing youroffering into that environment
right and into an environmentlike that.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
Yeah, yeah, I also.
That leads perfectly into ournew um, what we've just launched
with my stage, my story.
So I don't know.
This is new and I've beentrying to put it out there.
Our team's been on social mediaand having me film videos and
do all these crazy things, but Ican't even.
I'm honestly at a loss forwords at the response that we've
(16:34):
gotten.
So we had this idea like everysummit, there's these
conversations You're probably inquite a few of them that are
happening off stage aftersomeone's done speaking.
You know, in the while we'reeating lunch or dinner, having
cocktails, there's all these andpeople.
Did you hear what Joanne?
Did you hear what she's beenthrough or how she got here?
(16:55):
Did you hear about Lisa, whatyou know?
And I'm like, no, I didn't.
I didn't hear her.
I was on stage, right.
So we realized all of theseamazing women have all of these
amazing stories about howmultifamily has changed their
lives in some way.
And we thought, well, how do weget more?
Because our whole platform,from the very beginning, is
(17:17):
finding the leaders wherethey're at and shining the light
on them, because they're busy,they're working, they might not
be submitting oh, I'd like tospeak.
That's not even on their radar.
But I want them to know like wesee you, we see what you're
doing, we know you have a storyand we're going to make you get
on stage, whether you want to ornot.
Speaker 2 (17:38):
Kidding it's your, but it's your time, it's your
moment Right.
Speaker 1 (17:42):
There's so many and there's just, you know, so many
and not enough time, but um, sowith this new launch, we're
allowing women to tell theirstory.
They get five minutes becausethere's so many.
I know that five minutes is notenough.
Speaker 2 (17:55):
That's a lot of time actually.
Speaker 1 (17:56):
Well, when you're solo on stage and the lights are
on.
Exactly that is true, and theresponse that we've gotten so
far is I did not expect to justbe sobbing at my desk every day
when I get a new submission, butthat's where we're at right now
in a good way, because thesewomen have overcome such
unbelievable challenges,obstacles, hardships, and now
(18:24):
they're thriving and all theywant to do.
They're not professionalspeakers.
Speaker 2 (18:26):
All they want to do is tell their story and help
somebody else.
Speaker 1 (18:29):
They want to provide value.
They're not taking their givinglike and it's just it's like
gives me chills.
I know I'm over here I'mgetting.
I'll show you some of thesubmissions.
It's unbelievable.
I cannot wait for this.
I'm very excited.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
That's part of like you're really creating, opening
up.
I say it this way I've toldpeople Carrie Antrim is giving
birth to a new world.
Seriously, I'll take that.
It's a new way.
The old ways have reallyexpired.
Yes, I agree, and what I tellpeople about all of our events
(19:05):
really but multifamily womenjust staying with that is, if
you come there, you're notcoming to get another template
or a funnel recipe or any ofthose things, right?
No, you're coming to beliberated from all of that and
you're going to get some reallycool information to take back to
(19:27):
your office.
Speaker 1 (19:28):
Absolutely, of course , from the women who are doing
it every day Exactly, and itmight be info that's not out
there.
They're like hey, this workedfor me, this did not, you know.
And just opening minds, bothpersonally and professionally.
You know, we're all about womenrising in every way.
Speaker 2 (19:47):
You know, you, even at um, um, at the event, when
you walk into the ladies room,people are in there just sharing
and come, you go in the ladiesroom at one of our, at our
events, and you can't get out,you can't.
There's like fellowship goingon.
So I don't know if it was youthat said we have to make sure
that you've got the monitor inthe ladies room on, because I've
(20:11):
been in there before and I'mlike talking and just
fellowshipping and hugging, andthen I'm like I think I'm next.
Right, I have to go.
You know we're like laughing.
Speaker 1 (20:22):
That's when I'm on stage and I'm like one, two,
three, all eyes on me because Ican't get everyone to just come.
I'm like, okay, next yearlonger breaks in between.
I get it, I hear you, I see you.
Speaker 2 (20:33):
Yes, Also, I love the music and the energy.
We've got high energy, we'vegot dancing vocals right All of
the things that really appeal tothe female brain.
And when you look at thedifference between our brains,
you know men they have bigbrains and ours are smaller, but
(20:55):
we access both hemisphereseffectively.
And when we are too far in theleft hemisphere, where all of
the logic and the analyticalaspects Well, I'm that way as
well, and I just remember it wasmy therapist that told me you
need to just start sketching andhe just had me drawing circles
(21:20):
and I was drawing circles andthen one day I sketched a tree
that I remembered from mychildhood and my daughter looked
at it and she said how longhave you been able to do that?
And I was like since I was a kidand she said when did you stop
sketching?
I said when my mother told meit was time to get serious.
Well, yeah, you have to get ajob, exactly Right.
(21:41):
And but art and science,they're really tied together and
every time I'm at our event andI see women.
That's what I want to do is getthem fully into that shift of
the right hemisphere, and I'veworked and labored so hard at
other events to do that andstill couldn't get there.
These ladies come in pop,locking, dancing right and and
(22:07):
even though everyone has a titleyou know, vp and above they're
right there in the thick of itjust letting go of all of that
and the whole world that goeswith it.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
I think it's such a pattern reset, because you don't
expect that from a corporateconference, right, we're not a
conference, we're a summit.
A summit not a conference,we're a summit.
Um, and that's something Ilearned from Patrick 10 years
ago was music, is that immediatetrigger, and if it's good music
, it's a great trigger for justletting go.
(22:42):
And um, I mean, we joke all thetime If you go to a concert and
you see your favorite band andthey only play their, their
brand new music, that youhaven't had a chance to like
learn yet and it never works.
This is great, but if they playthe hits, right.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
It's a great concert because it's triggering just
that, that nostalgia, and youknow the camaraderie and you're
singing loud and you're lookingat somebody over here.
Music definitely is a greatthing to bring everybody
together.
Speaker 1 (23:11):
It is.
That's been a big part of ourwhole culture and it's not a
requirement to dance.
Speaker 2 (23:17):
Okay, but I think you probably will Exactly, or at
least move your shoulders orsomething You'll be singing
along in your head for sure.
Speaker 1 (23:27):
So well, I guess, if you're on the fence about
attending or sponsoring orapplying for my stage my story
let this be your sign to just doit.
Speaker 2 (23:40):
Yeah Right, I mean just do it and then really you
know I have to.
I mean, that's what I do, likeI?
I challenge humanity.
Why are you on the fence?
Look at what your hesitationmight be.
Is your hesitation becauseyou're concerned about how you
speak or something about yourappearance, or no one wants to
(24:02):
hear this?
Do I share this?
Am I going to be embarrassed?
That's the human brain.
That's just going to give youmore cognitive overload.
Speaker 1 (24:10):
We had all those thoughts half an hour ago,
before we sat down, we did.
Speaker 2 (24:14):
I was like I need this table.
Speaker 1 (24:18):
My gut doesn't show right.
Speaker 2 (24:20):
Yeah, it's real, but in that environment it just kind
of disappears.
And so just throw your hat overthe wall, put yourself in um,
step out.
You won't regret being asponsor with us not even a
little bit, and I'm I'm puttingmy credentials on that.
I am, and also um attending theevent.
Do both.
(24:40):
But if you have a compellingstory and it was your moment in
time and you were more than youthought you could be, you owe it
to yourself to contribute thatto humanity and we would really
appreciate it.
Yeah.
Get your five minutes right.
Speaker 1 (24:55):
Absolutely, yeah, absolutely, yeah.
Well, I don't have anything tofollow that up.
That was beautiful.
Thanks for sharing the timetoday.
Speaker 2 (25:03):
Thank you so much.
I'm really thrilled about beinghere.
Ever since I first saw thiswoman, I was like I want to be
her friend, right.
Remember when kids used to go?
Let's new family moved in downthe street.
Let's go make friends, right,yep.
So I'm really glad to be here.
I'm really glad we're friends.
Yeah, me too.
We're happy to have you.
Speaker 1 (25:22):
Yeah, so anyway, thanks for listening.
Go to multifamilywomencom andget your ticket today.
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