I provide my application and screening criteria on my website so applicants can look for themselves before spending any money.

@John Lasher If you are still looking to spend $20k-$30K for a coach, I would be happy to take you up on that offer :) For full disclosure,  I will share with you precisely what you can learn online/ perhaps even entirely through these BiggerPockets Forums but that doesn't address the reason why most are still unable to purchase larger assets: creditworthiness and capital relationships.

This will give you a baseline of how much you spend per month.

I know it is expected that you will need to spend some money after someone moves out but I just didn't expect I was going to need to spend appx. $10k to get it rental-ready. 

It's not fool proof but I've weeded out a lot of people this way without spending money for marketing. 

Spend the first few deals just listening and asking questions.

Make sure to keep your eye on the prize and do not spend too much time chasing after the next hot thing.

Especially #4 about durability.Do you charge your clients a flat fee based on size/price per sqft for your services, or % of spend?  

Stop hanging out with your deadbeat buddies who spend all day drinking, talking sports, and otherwise wasting away.

If you go with the partnership route1) You need to manage the money going in and out of the business bank account.2) File a partnership return and be responsible for issuing K-1's3) make distributions to you and your partner for cash flow that you receiveYou will likely spend many hours on a nice gesture.I may want to consider instead to give a christmas gift or a bonus for early completion of projects.