One fly in Hayward's ointment is Rent Control. 

How much do you pay per service and how do you control how many service visits the contractor makes.

All the best in your new venture.

That requirement alone excluded a lot of properties within the rent-controlled city limits of Los Angeles, hence the reason I had to look a little further out (like Santa Clarita).  

I also told her I don't have control over the neighbor visitors parking/blocking.

They never go away and there is no control over them from the owner perspective.

This is our first venture into landlording, and as a long-time Big-Pockets listener (this is only my 2nd post), we are hoping to use it as a springboard into the start of a long-term investment portfolio.

I'd be willing to get my RE license and even a Property Manager Permit (which is needed for NV) but is it true that I'd absolutely need to have a broker's license to even get this venture started?

I have done joint ventures before.  

Provided your unit is not located in a jurisdiction with rent control this advice applies.