Yes build up cash from a W2 but don't wait to build up the muscles to learn how to establish partnerships and use OPM to get deals done.

My head is practically throbbing from woes of my HOA.

Once you are in more it is like a muscle the more you strengthen it the stronger it gets.  

And it's a new muscle for you to exercise, so expect it to be weak at start.

You know the relevance, you know they are a necessary evil, but when you do them enough, muscle memory kicks in and it no longer requires active thinking to get you through the process and you can focus on the content rather than the routine of it.

It's been a blast but I did this mostly by muscling through the learning curve (of which I know I still have far to go) and using my savings from my W2 job.   

So they can prosper under their own muscle rather than ours.

But if you hang in there and muscle through, you will reap amazing financial rewards.

I'm pulling muscles just thinking about the numbers.  

My humble opinion is that you really need to develop budgeting muscles.