If I were to give you one piece of advice to follow it would be too identify a strong market to work in and master that market.

Locks only keep honest people honest, and all it takes is a hammer and a decent swing and most of those master locks are toast anyway. 

She says she's a master negotiator.Me - I'm a pretty smart, detail handling person.

I want a specialist that's an expert, and not a jack of all trades and master of none.

Listen a year ago before I got to this point, I was working my 50+ hours a week and then coming home to work on a special masters program in strategy.

Like @Christopher Contento we have had good luck with home depot's traffic master.

I believe that the best bang for your buck is to concentrate on the kitchen area, bathrooms and master bathroom. 

Something simple shouldn't have anything that takes long, unless you're pulling permits and the city falls asleep on you.Otherwise, in a large scale with additions, id say meeting with engineers/architects/builders to plan, implement, permit, and complete additions such as a second story, new master suite, etc.

You could also offer a master lease with a refi after the first year or so.

As far as education I have a Masters in Business Leadership, have listened to 200+ of the BP pod casts, have read Rich Dad Poor Dad, Cash Flow Quadrant, Never Split the Difference, Quit Like a Millionaire, The Richest Man in Babylon, The Book on Investing in Real-estate with no money down, The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, The 8th Habit, Mind Set, You are a Bad ***, Un**** Your Self, **** Your Feelings, Third Circle Theory, How to Win Friends and Influence People, The Heart of a Warrior, The Book on Rental Property Investing, and the 3 Day Effect.