Would love to connect to hear more about your experiences as well and any PM recommendations.  

I imagine it can be tricky without face-to-face interaction, but it sounds like you’ve got a solid approach.Honestly, I don't have a process for establishing trust with sellers other than being polite and professional.

In my experience, success in D-class areas almost always requires being local, extremely hands-on, and self-managing.

What is your mentorship experience and background?

Again, the BiggerPockets store has some books on this topic, or you can learn about it by watching podcasts, reading blogs, and interacting on the forum.

Does anyone had experience in the area? 

Again, the BiggerPockets store has some books on this topic, or you can learn about it by watching podcasts, reading blogs, and interacting on the forum.

Unless anyone else had a different experience? 

In my experience, there are a range of starting-off experiences, but one's experience is not always indicative of someone's desire/drive/commitment to pursue and thrive in real estate. 

I did have experience operating LTR's to bring to the table, but even if you don't, it's not that much more complex.