That is highly irregular in the industry!

It makes you less hirable and much less respected in this industry. 

Be prepared to handle administrative tasks, build relationships with industry professionals, and bring a fresh perspective and strong work ethic.

Being able to build without the retail cost sounds like its a great option. 

We have one right now finishing up, high end small custom> 95% return cash on cash, bought land retail 2.5yrs ago (peak). $1.7M costs, $2.25M completed value.

It takes a very special relationship to work with someone in such a risky industry. 

Typically, you see full-service (gross) leases being used for CBD office buildings, but most of the retail centers in my market are on a NNN lease.

Interestingly, this artistic pursuit beautifully intertwines with my love for real estate, a field that has also introduced me to some of the industry's brightest minds during my performances. 

Since my initial post, I have tapped into a lot of the free resources Big Pockets has to offer as well as reading some of their books which have helped me better understand the REI industry without forking up a significant financial burden, and have been able to move at my own pace with this learning journey. 

I really made a ton of progress in the RE industry while in that job.