If you have some requirements to meet, it's a good practice to review your financials at least in the last month of every quarter when reports are due, to make sure the numbers are good.

However, I am confident that I would be able to successfully generate buyer and seller leads at scale using Google/Facebook/Instagram ads, so I am tempted.I've also thought about using my marketing experience to get leads for distressed properties and then wholesale them, but again I'm a newbie when it comes to investing in real estate, so I don't even know if that's practical in my area (Seattle).Are there any other paths I could take that comes to mind?

I know other guys who spent their youth focused on getting a practical STEM degree in a field with quality employment prospects, orchestrating their career, aiming themselves for financial glory.

Any practical thoughts, suggestions, or methods to use? 

His son took over his brain surgery practice while Sherry inherited her father's love for real estate. 

Gave me practical experience finding deals (and the tools & techniques involved), working with realtors, lawyers and banks, appraisals, inspections, insurance, property taxes, utilities, closings, HUD statements, etc.Owning a home gave me more practical experience in basic to moderate home repair, dealing with contractors for more complicated issues, capital improvements, insurance claims, "neighbor relations", and many more important aspects involved with owning property.But in addition to buying and owning my own home, I'll say what was equally important to giving me confidence to get started was having a few friends who were already doing what I wanted to do. 

Any advice on study guides or practice texts for the state portion only?

I want to purchase a single family home from a wholesaler and practice the BRRR method.

That doesn't mean risk doesn't still exist, it just means that you've formulated a plan for minimizing those risks to the extent possible/practical and a game plan for dealing with them if they do come to pass.

However open and honest communication is always good practice.