First full gut rehab looking for some advice, should I hire a GC to run everything being my first time or should I try and safe some money and just find the subcontractors and try to manage it myself?

If you find some properties 5-10 units see who the listing agent are, I bet you'll repeatedly see a few brokers a few times.

Your best bet is to identify a market you want to invest in, find a local investor friendly agent who knows how to find off-market deals and identify good on-market deals, and then hand off your properties to a good local property manager/contractor.

Is this number safe to assume as equity in the property or will the bank come and appraise a different value when determining a LTV?

A private money route may be your best bet.

Is it risky/or safe to jump into a duplex as a first property ?

Do I stay where I’m at and play it safe or take a swing a changing my career?

I bet if you search for it you will find that thread and he could be a great resource.

@Cory Mallow If the business is a going concern, he should contact a business broker and sell the business and its assets.I'd bet that like the rest of the world (especially those in the hospitality sector), he took a hit in 2020 - 2021, but look at his 2018 - 2019 P&Ls and tax returns. 

Miyagi: "Walk left side road, safe.