How to keep growing buy and hold?

[Layton Gilbraith]

So I'm pretty clear on my general buy and hold portfolio strategy in single and small multi family (at least for now). What is not yet clear to me is how I continue to grow after the first few deals.

The main obstacle I haven't worked out yet is that once I get beyond my first few deals and A and B lenders start saying my debt to income ratio is too high or total debt is too high, how do I keep adding to my portfolio?

Even if I was doing perfect BRRRRs and have the cash to purchase available, how do I refinance out? Is there something I am missing so that I can keep putting mortgages onto new properties and keep growing?

thanks in advance for your insights folks!