I’m at the highest level of pay in my market without a specialty degree or a specific job skill.

Do not trust this company!!!

Are most landlords/PMs not contacting employers and instead simply trusting the paystubs provided?

I wouldn't trust this either.If you were interested, I would google them and call them direct.

Partnership deals, asset protection using Land Trust,Umbrella Insurance etc

If you want this to be a real business, test out pricing levels to see what the market will bear.

You could invest out of state, which would open up different risks and costs (trusting your PM, additional travel costs to see your property(s) periodically, likely less personal market knowledge).  

VTSTRA has a (slightly outdated) list of town ordinances: https://vtstra.org/regs but that does not even get into some of the crazy proposals being tossed around at the state level, like an additional 10% STR tax (atop the 9% M&R + 1% local options tax already in place in many communities). https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2024/WorkGroups/House%20Ways%20and%20Means/Short-term%20Rentals/W~Kirby%20Keeton~Short-term%20rentals%20draft%20language~3-13-2024.pdf

The key to investing is to have great partners - so if you decide to go with the self-directed IRA, whole life insurance or both - make sure that you have a partner who you know, like and trust that can give you expert advice. 

I tip my hat to their next-level gimmickry.