Multifamily Streamlined with Leslie Mathis

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AI is everywhere right now, but the bigger question is: are we actually using it in a way that makes our work and our lives better?

In this episode of Multifamily Streamlined, Leslie sits down with Holly Duckworth for a practical and refreshingly human conversation about artificial intelligence, how quickly it is changing the way we work, and why embracing AI doesn’t mean losing the human connection that matters most.

They talk about getting past the intimidation of AI, finding simple ways to incorporate it into your everyday workflow, and looking at AI as a tool that can create more time, improve efficiency, and help us focus our energy where it has the greatest impact.

Whether you’re already using AI every day or you’re still wondering where to begin, this conversation is a reminder that you don’t have to know everything. You just have to be willing to start.

In this episode:

• How AI is changing the way we work and lead
• Getting comfortable using AI without feeling like you have to become an expert
• Practical ways to incorporate AI into your everyday workflow
• Using AI to create efficiency and give time back
• Why human connection still matters in an AI-driven world
• Moving from curiosity about AI to actually using it
• Giving yourself permission to experiment, learn, and evolve as the technology does

Learn more and connect with Holly:
Holly Duckworth Resources: https://pages.hollyduckworth.com/hdlinktree

Watch the video Holly referenced during our conversation:
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=1471413384815314

If AI has felt overwhelming, intimidating, or like one more thing you’re supposed to figure out, this episode is for you. Start small, stay curious, and remember: AI isn’t about replacing what makes you good at what you do. It’s about giving you more capacity to do it.

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Culture is easy to talk about. Building one that actually drives results and protecting it as you grow is something entirely different.

In this episode of Multifamily Streamlined, I sit down with Erin Krueger, a highly successful real estate broker and team leader in Nashville, for a conversation about what it really takes to intentionally build a culture that people want to be part of.

Erin is the ultimate culture builder and she understands that culture isn’t separate from business performance. The right culture creates accountability, attracts the right people, strengthens your team, and ultimately helps you achieve your business goals.

We talk about being intentional about who you allow into your culture, protecting what you’ve worked hard to build, and recognizing when something or someone simply isn’t aligned. We also unpack what leadership looks like when you care deeply about your people while still holding high expectations.

And, of course, we talk about something Erin and I are both passionate about: women genuinely supporting, championing, and creating opportunities for other women.

In this episode:

• Building culture intentionally
• How culture impacts business results
• Protecting the culture you’ve worked hard to create
• Hiring and surrounding yourself with the right people
• Leading with both high expectations and genuine care
• Knowing when something is no longer aligned
• Women supporting and championing other women

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Why are so many women comfortable making major decisions at work, yet still hesitant to fully step into conversations about their own money and wealth?

In this episode of Multifamily Streamlined, I sit down with Natalie Sherman, Head of Wealth Planning at &Wealth, for a conversation about women, money, and what it really means to have a seat at the financial table.

After spending 25 years as an estates and trusts attorney, Natalie brings a unique perspective to wealth planning. We talk about why women often know exactly what they want for themselves and their families but may not always have the confidence, knowledge, or opportunity to fully participate in the financial decisions that shape their future.

We also get into why talking about money shouldn’t feel uncomfortable, the questions we should be asking, and how taking even small steps toward understanding our finances can create greater confidence and control.

This isn’t investing 101. It’s a conversation about being informed, asking questions, understanding what you have, and making sure you have a voice in the decisions that impact your future.

In this episode:

• Why women need a seat at the financial table
• Becoming more comfortable talking about money
• Knowing and understanding your financial picture
• Asking better questions about your wealth and future
• The role confidence plays in financial decision-making
• Planning for major life transitions
• Taking ownership of your financial future

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There is a lot of noise in multifamily right now, so what is the data actually telling us?

In this episode of Multifamily Streamlined, I sit down with Meggan Taylor, Market Analyst at RealPage, to unpack the current state of the U.S. multifamily market and what owners, operators, and leaders should really be paying attention to.

We talk about supply, demand, rent growth, occupancy, and the differences we’re seeing across markets. Meggan helps us look beyond the headlines and understand what the numbers actually mean for those of us making real-time decisions at the property and portfolio level.

We also dig into what the data tells us about where we’ve been, where we are today, and what could be ahead as the market continues to shift.

If you work in multifamily, this is one of those conversations that gives you the context behind the numbers and helps you think differently about the decisions you’re making every day.

In this episode:

• The current state of the U.S. multifamily market
• Supply and demand trends
• Occupancy and rent growth
• What we’re seeing across different markets
• How to separate headlines from meaningful data
• What today’s data could tell us about what’s ahead
• Using market intelligence to make better business decisions

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Sometimes the hardest part of going through something hard is simply figuring out how to take the first step.

In this episode of Multifamily Streamlined, I sit down with SC Perot for a real conversation about navigating the hard seasons of life, recognizing that everyone’s “hard” looks different, and finding a way to keep moving forward even when you don’t have it all figured out.

We talk about the power of disciplined work and why sometimes the answer isn’t waiting until you feel ready, it’s creating a framework that helps you take the next step. SC shares her approach to finding “joy in the wild” and how intentional actions, even small ones, can begin to shift where we are.

We also unpack something we both love: the power of music. How a song can change your energy, bring you back to a moment, help you process what you’re feeling, or sometimes just give you exactly what you need to keep going. And maybe most importantly, how finding new music that holds new memories can provide some of the most unexpected joy of all.

This conversation is about resilience, discipline, joy, music, and remembering that moving forward doesn’t always require a giant leap. Sometimes it really does start with one step.

In this episode:

• Taking the first step when life feels hard
• Why everyone’s “hard” looks different
• The power of disciplined work
• Creating a framework for moving forward
• Finding “joy in the wild”
• The connection between music, emotion, and memory
• Finding new music and creating new memories
• Using music to shift your energy and keep moving

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A couple of months ago, I shared a simple message on LinkedIn: we have to get back to being a people business.

The response was overwhelming. Everyone agreed. But what was missing was the how.

In this episode, I’m digging into what’s really happening right now and why so many of us feel like we’re constantly reacting instead of actually leading. Between the pressure to perform, the amount of communication coming in, and everything we’re responsible for, it’s easy to slip into managing tasks instead of leading people.

But this isn’t just a culture conversation. It’s a performance conversation.

Because when we lose connection, it shows up in leasing, in team consistency, in communication, and ultimately in results.

I share a couple of real moments that brought this into focus for me. One with a developer who challenged a team to stop leading from behind the desk and start with the experience, showing prospects the dream first. And another from a coaching call where everything looked fine on paper, but the real story only came out once we slowed down and asked better questions.

The reality is we don’t have a knowledge problem. We have an execution problem.

If we want different results, we have to show up differently. That means slowing down enough to understand what’s really happening, getting back into real conversations with our teams, and focusing on what actually moves the needle.

We’re also taking this a step further with an upcoming class series. The first session will focus on leasing through an operational lens on May 7, followed by a manager class on May 28 and a multi-site leader class on June 4. Each one is built to move beyond theory and into real execution so you can actually apply it the next day.

Busy isn’t the goal. Better is.

Let’s get back to being a people business.

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In this episode of the Multifamily Streamlined podcast, Leslie sits down with Sheila Greene, CEO of Rainey Management, to talk about what it really takes to lead teams in today’s multifamily environment. From driving performance to navigating the moments when things don’t go as planned, this conversation dives into how strong leaders create space for growth, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Sheila shares her journey through the industry, lessons learned along the way, and how her leadership approach continues to evolve while keeping her team—and the bigger picture—front and center.

What We Cover:
• Leading teams through both success and setbacks
• Creating a culture where learning is part of the process
• Balancing performance expectations with people development
• Navigating challenges without losing momentum
• Lessons from Sheila’s career and leadership evolution

Why It Matters:
The best teams aren’t built when everything is going right—they’re built in the moments when things are hard. This episode is a reminder that how you lead through those moments is what ultimately drives long-term success.

Connect with Us:
Follow along for more insights on operations, leadership, and driving performance in multifamily.

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I’m going to say this out loud.

While there may have been a miss in my TEDx presentation, I am confident the talk itself is one you need to hear in its entirety.

It’s 12ish minutes. We all have that kind of time.

Because this message is bigger than the delivery. It’s bigger than one moment on one stage.

This is about the work we are doing through EmpowHER. The conversations we are pushing forward. The spaces we are building. And the truth that there is more available to us when we stop trying to fit into rooms that were never designed for us in the first place.

Inside this episode:

• The full TEDx talk in its entirety
• A message that may feel like just the surface but is actually the start of something much bigger
• Pieces of my personal journey that shaped why this matters so deeply to me
• Why this is not the end of the story but the very beginning

My output may not have reflected my input in that moment. But the message still stands.

And honestly, it is one I believe needs to be shouted from the rooftops.

If you give me 12 minutes, I think you will understand why.

This is just the beginning.

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This episode is different. It’s raw, unfiltered, and recorded immediately after my TEDx Franklin talk with my youngest daughter by my side.

We didn’t wait to process. We didn’t clean it up. We hit record.

Together, we step into a conversation most people avoid. The uncomfortable reality that you can do all the right things and still not get the outcome you hoped for.

No neat bow. No polished takeaway. Just honesty.

We talk about:

• What it feels like when effort doesn’t equal results
• Finding the lesson in it all even when it is not obvious at first
• How things can go wrong and still hold really beautiful moments
• The value of your kids seeing you not win at everything because that is real life
• And why normalizing these conversations matters more than pretending everything worked out

This is a real time reflection between a mom and her daughter navigating expectations, resilience, and the messy middle together.

If you have ever questioned your path, your effort, or your outcome, this conversation is for you.

Because maybe the goal is not always to get it right.
Maybe it is to be honest about what happens when it doesn’t.

Listen in. Sit with it. And let’s start having the conversations we have been taught to avoid.

Connect with us!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesliemathis
Streamline Website: https://www.streamlinemultifamily.com
EmpowHER Website: https://empowhermultifamily.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empowhermultifamily https://www.instagram.com/streamlinemultifamily

This podcast is brought to you by Streamline Multifamily Group, a specialized consulting partner offering asset management services, training, social media management, and more. Visit streamlinemultifamily.com to learn more and reach out to Leslie at [email protected] for more information. 

And if you enjoyed the show, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review, we truly appreciate it!

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Many leaders feel pressure to have all the answers.

But what if the most effective leadership comes from asking better questions instead?

In this episode, Leslie Mathis is joined by Sara Graham, founder of Six Dots and a growth strategist who has spent more than two decades helping multifamily companies align marketing, operations, and technology.

Sara shares why the best leaders don’t try to be the smartest person in the room, instead, they build teams where every perspective matters.

They chat about:

 • Why leaders should stop trying to have every answer
 • The value of diverse perspectives when solving complex problems
 • How listening to onsite teams can transform decision-making
 • Why authenticity and trusting your instincts are critical to long-term success

If you’re leading teams, navigating growth, or trying to bring clarity to complex systems, this episode offers practical wisdom and a refreshing perspective on what great leadership actually looks like.

Connect with Sara on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarasgraham/

🎧 Listen now and stay tuned. We’re bringing you more bold, forward-thinking voices shaping the future of multifamily.

Connect with us!

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesliemathis
Streamline Website: https://www.streamlinemultifamily.com
EmpowHER Website: https://empowhermultifamily.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/empowhermultifamily https://www.instagram.com/streamlinemultifamily

This podcast is brought to you by Streamline Multifamily Group, a specialized consulting partner offering asset management services, training, social media management, and more. Visit streamlinemultifamily.com to learn more and reach out to Leslie at [email protected] for more information. 

And if you enjoyed the show, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review, we truly appreciate it!