If you have not already done so, begin with the Ultimate Beginners Guide under the "Education" tab above and then select the "Guides" flyout.

You’re on the right track by educating yourself and not rushing into anything.

So far I've self educated from literature, BiggerPockets forum of other newbies, and some friends and Facebook, but I'd love to see if there is possibly a way to branch out and BiggerPockets definitely has way more access to all the pros.

Trying to leverage and at the same time contain a developer relationship rarely works. 

@Blake ChapmanMy personal favorite vehicle for leveraging a property is a Home Equity Line of Credit.

How to hire, who to hire, and the point that if you want a business, that is how you leverage your time.

Right now I am focusing on trying to educate myself, while still looking to try and find a good deal.

You can also greatly expand your empire faster with the right partner and leverage like crazy.  

I also don't really want to pay $3K (I saw one such course) for educational materials that may simply be available for free or may not even be that valuable. 

If there isn’t a system in place, I will work to fill in those gaps to systemize and continuously improve that system, until it it is 100% efficient.Currently, I am in my researching and educational stage.