Its extremely important as without that support it will be hard to stay motivated especially in tough times.

Or is it safer to stay away from a potential good deal because of the inherited tenants?

With that it has never had an issue staying rented.

I've been talking to a seasoned investor, Dev Lindo who is extremely experienced with flipping houses and he has agreed to help guide me through the process.

Some investors stick to one company Bc if things went well on a purchase, why not stay with them but on the flip side  investors also go where they think they are getting the best deal which in many cases turns out not to be the case.  

I would love to have a mentor who can take me under their wing and guide me in this world of Real Estate!

Stay smart and remember that you need to make your money on the purchase.  

If you even consider SB, stay away from anything around Baseline.

Someone brand new to this site should start listening to the podcasts, subscribe to the newsletter, and start reading through The Ultimate Beginner's Guide  https://www.biggerpockets.com/real-estate-investin...You'll get lots more actionable tip ideas once you start going through those resources. 

I work full time making ok money (80k year), which i want to stay employed.