Quote from @Douglas J Schwind: I attended a tax and asset protection seminar in 2018 and I became a platinum member.

Attend real estate meetups and networking events in your area to connect with potential lenders and other investors.

Take a bit of that money and invest in learning - go to meetups and the many events that take place related to investing in the city - some for free and some paid.

Have you had a chance to check out any local meetups or REIA (Real Estate Investors Association) events?

Wanted to chime in as I have jumped into numerous courses & attended seminars as well. 

Go to GET STARTED > EVENTS AND MEETUPS at the top of your screen.

Going to the events page above and seeing who is hosting meetups along with connecting with people at these meetups is a great way to grow your network of people within a small 25-50 mile radius.

A great way to start is by attending RE events and joining a local investors association.

My professional background is data science / analytics, which means analyzing cash flows will probably come more naturally than building relationships, which apparently, is how one finds deals worth making.Are there meetups in these areas I should attend (digitally at first, presumably)? 

I read, listened to audios, took courses, and attended events and seminars.