Another thing is I could tell these guys were working their own deals which is good obviously because they know what they are doing, but with no skin in your game- your deals, it felt like they were kind of detached.

Investors find it uneasy knowing the operating partner (gp) will have little skin in the game and are less likely to invest.

The best thing you can do is build a strong team around you and/or partner up with an experienced investor to help you get some skin in the game for at least your first few projects. 

The private lending could finance only the down payment and the rest could come from a conventional loan, thought you may need to use a portfolio lender as some banks want you to have some skin in the game.

If your contract was just with the GC, he has skin in the game.  

You need to start saving as much money as possible so that you can have "skin in the game."

You wll certainly be able to have skin in the game.

I would like to follow the BRRRR strategy and am able to put in $15k-$20k in rehab costs (my skin in the game).

The long and short of it is, you don't need to use your money although having some "skin in the game" helps.

@Kelly AllenTheir is more than one way to skin a cat.