Creative help and advice please!!!

[Kawika Smith]

One of my good friends has a business here in NM, and is renting from their landlord who is willing to help them out with acquiring other commercial properties to help them grow their business. (Complicating but not sure how to word their relationship.) 

My friend wants to partner with him on an investment. This investment is going to be purchased on a Real Estate Contract by his current landlord, but my friend wants to be partial owners with him as well as the opportunity to buy the property from him after about 7 years. How I am interpreting the wants of my friend is that he wants a Real estate Contract within a Real estate contract? I am completely new to Commercial real estate, but avidly study residential investing. 

Any creative ways to make this work? 

Thank you!

-Kawika Smith