Im lucky to work in an interactive office environment for a private company, where I have the ear of some successful operators.Everyone learns differently, but without the working experience I now have (and continue to compile, every day), my path to operator would surely be a bit longer. 

That can be through interaction here on BiggerPockets, or it could be a local investors group.Go to BUILD YOUR TEAM at the top of your screen and you can search for other MEMBERS or LOCAL MEETUPS.

A mentor that charges is a coach, not a mentor.100% of what you need to know you likely can ask here & going to those interactive meetings.

I'm looking forward to learning from and interacting with people on the forum boards! 

I'm looking to acquire and hold long-term SFR properties yet I'm open to any of the other elements of REI business.

As an active investor you are taking on more of the project and managing the elements.

They will demo everything damp down to structural elements.

I'd suggest defining what financial peace of mind is to you, and focus on elements of this biz that will get you there fastest.

I would document the interaction by taking notes on what was said just in case a LE agency calls you to find out what this guy is complaining about.

It has a decent cash-flow, but far less compared to the equity locked in that home when seen from mid-west or Florida kind of locationsI am still trying to refine my strategy as I get ready to make my next investment move by end of this year and hope to nail it through interaction with experts in this forum.