Question on learning path and selecting a niche, finding mentors, building a team

[Jonathan J.]

Hi BP Community,

I'm starting out my learning path and I've read the Ultimate Beginners Guide and have been listening to the BP Podcast starting from the old episodes. I've just finished reading for the second time in my life Rich Dad, Poor Dad (first time was as a younger adult, and now as a more seasoned adult :) ). I've just started reading "The Book on Rental Property Investing" by Brandon Turner, so I'm excited to get learning on that.

Question for the community, how did you all start your education journey that lead to your first investments (books, youtube, bigger pockets, etc)? I'm also curious how you chose your niche and strategy, like Single Family Homes, Multi-Family etc. Also, how did you choose your target market, was it your own geographic area or something else that lead you to another area?

Did you have mentors and how did you find them? I'm located in the SF Bay Area in San Jose, so if there's anyone I can buy a coffee in exchange for some of your time, I'd be more than happy to connect.

Lastly, I don't think I'll be ready to start seriously looking for a first investment for a few months, so the question is, when is the right time to start talking to people like real estate agents, brokers, lenders etc.? Is it when you're ready to buy, or when you already have a potential deal or is it before, just to introduce yourself? How did you all build your network/team?

For myself, I think my ultimate goal is to have an alternate cash flow to offset my dependence on a day job, which would allow me to choose a job I enjoy rather than have to find a job based on salary and ultimately allow me to travel with family more and enjoy life rather than stress about money.

Thanks in advance and hope to connect and gain wisdom!