If there is someone out there that you really want to learn from you have to be a devoted fan.

Real estate , construction, 3d printing/painting and take 100% of the time i dont devote to the family.

With that said, I still have a huge passion and am willing to devote some serious time to finding properties and dealing with people to manage them.I guess I should be asking "If you were in my shoes" - I understand the answer is going to be different coming from someone who relies on the rental cash flow to live.

While I don't have experience with a big STR management company, I tend to think if you are going to have your property managed, if you pick the right local outfit (make sure they're solid), you get a company who can devote more individual attention to optimizing your listing.

I know that not everyone wants to self-manage or may not have the time/capacity to devote; however, I think you'll find that many people on the STR forums will share that self managing is where you typically see the additional cashflow you are targeting from STRs. 

In reality I'd spend time thinking about how to work smarter and find the minimum amount of work needed to accomplish the goal commensurate to the relative importance I place on it instead of blindly lowering my head and becoming a mindless devote to the "rise and grind mentality" in the church of wealth for wealth's sake.  

I am 27 now, but spent 7 years pursuing my degree - thus, those 7 years devoted to that singular purpose.

All of my free time AND my drive time has been devoted to learning RE, property analysis, crunching numbers, etc.

Lead generation is the lifeblood and its hard to work leads and get people to choose you when you don’t any devote all your attention to your trade full time.

I also recommend Mortgage Banker Association classes (I've taken mortgage loan underwriting and asset management) and buying/studying books devoted to key skills you may need (e.g., I have textbooks on property appraisal, commercial site analysis and CRE syndication in my reference library).