But that isn't that attractive because they then have to spend time figuring out what to give you, setting it up, teaching you things to be able to do it, and that's a lot of time and energy spent.

To pick just one of those items and call it "investing" is not understanding the element of time/energy coefficient.

I absolutely don't subscribe to the find the deal and the money will follow i think that is absolutely backwards. sure waste a lot of time and energy if you don't have the financing not only your own and get disappointed but the sellers and agents etc.. any agent worth  a darn will want to see your pre qualed. 

And don’t worry—I’m definitely not a Russian bot or a scammer living off energy drinks and Doritos in a basement in Estonia.

However, health concerns forced me to step away from the hustle about 6 years ago.Fast forward to today, I'm officially retired and living in sunny California with a renewed sense of energy (and much better health!).

They take more time, energy, stress and definitely more capital. 

Could long distance investing fit into your time and energy resources?

They want to use my time,energy, and expertise but do not want to show their capabilities or qualifications to me.I find it interesting that some buyers have a sense of being secret and arrogance about them.

My educational background includes a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) in finance, a commercial real estate certificate, and a minor in building construction and project management, with a focus on energy-efficient housing.

Quote from @January Johnson:Yes, cash flow is hard to come by but STR management is certainly a full service offering and requires a good amount of time, energy and care to be done right.