I have to agree it is no easy!
After reading your post I felt like things had gone right for you and you learned a thing or two. You could have ended up in a crappy deal with that investor. You could have ended up with an unscrupulous partner. All pluses in my book!
Have you asked a potential "mentor" what they would like in a mentoree? From those that have shared their experience of finding a mentor a common thread I have noticed is they bring good deals to the Mentor. They get paid more of a bird dog fee than as a partner.
It is absolutely true that most people are consumed by their own priorities than yours therefore their deals will always take precedence over yours. This maybe a sign that your deals are not meeting their criteria. To wholesale or partner on a deal it has to be good. Everyone involved has to see the deal and like John said it all comes down to RE fundamentals.
The last thing I would add is that it will happen for you when you are ready. I started when I was 19 reading about RE. In my 30's I attended an REIA meeting or two. During the recession in the early 1990's I read the auction pages (there were more properties being auctioned than retailed). IN the 2000's I tried to buy land and lost my deposit because I had know idea what I was doing. Finally in 2011 I bought my first property. I have since bought 7 more. I have don it by finding partners and never quitting. Each day brings new experiences which make us stronger. Stay focused on your goals and make sure you take steps everyday in towards them.
