The issue is my taxes show very little income.  

When I was doing the BRRRR method and leveraged a HELOC for these purchases, I was using my W2 income to put as much back into my HELOC as possible.

@Alecia Loveless Only thought I have on how to generate real income is if you could do weddings.

Based on what you've said, you should be able to make 2x rental income and account for 20% vacancy to be conservative. 

Gradually transition to larger, higher-end projects as you gain confidence and expertise, balancing risk and reward.

This isn't merely about replacing your current income—it's about creating an income stream that sustains your lifestyle indefinitely.

Plus the future rent income.  

In addition we would like the flexibility for me to be able to supplement my income or leave my employer as we see fit.

If you have a high income and can support 2 mortgages with your DTI, then providing a solid LOE for your circumstance may suffice. 

You could ask that they put a year or so of savings into a separate account on which you have view access or receive a monthly statement so you can see they have the ability to pay future rent.They aren't going to last without other income or savings with income at 1.25x rent.