As I always remind folks here on BP, a self directed IRA is not a tool to augment your real estate investments.  

I augment with Henckels Granitium Italian made frying pans.

How about virtual and augmented reality tools?

What alot us do is buy 1-2 places each location where we are stationed, and then by the 20 year mark we have a nice portfolio of properties to augment your retirement.   

We do that and have reaped the benefits, but this move would be more of an active business that we would be building to augment our passive investments. 

That way I can augment my vertical job income with some horizontal passive income (a little something I picked up on from BP podcast with Pat Hiban).

The objective that you refer to (improving your conversion ratio from 30-1 to 15-1) may be achievable by augmenting with a dual-strategy that employs more "proof" in the form of testimonials or other techniques to install trust and comfort with the prospect.

Initially, my masculinity/bravado balked at the idea of taking an interior design class; but then, I said huh?

And we will be served food and drink while we try it out :)And none of this considers the latest Augmented or Virtual Reality technologies which could make this so much better. 

These are going to be mostly min wage jobs and then probably be augmented w/ a army of contract/temp employees during busy season.