Would like to not only be an investor, but would like to have some business/creative input into potential projects.

Do you have this incorporated in your lease or just verbal?

I need a company who is creative and forward thinking and works with investors who do real deals!

You can obtain creative financing as long as you end up with cash at the closing table. 

@Oliver Ngugi Try bandit signs, post cards and yellow letters to a list (such as absentee owner, divroce, inheritance, etc), networking (with wholesalers, agents, probate attorney's, etc) Craigslist can work but there is a lot of junk on their, FSBO sites, etc....You can find some pretty creative ways.

any creative solutions... any lenders that are more investor friendly

The other vendors just never materialized in time to keep the truffles alive.Really appreciate the other input, it helps to generate creative ideas.

Check out the podcasts on creative financing!

Then network, network, network and whenever someone asks you what you do, incorporate that elevator speech (without being to pushy) and you'll catch some people's interest.

You can get rick quicker with off-the-wall, high-risk, creative deals - but those are also high-risk.