If you drop business and work you can bounce back.  

I've never seen such a mismanaged business.

Was the business credit enough to put towards a deal? 

Just my personal opinion - get a mentor or a person who already has good experience running STR business, preferably in your area (but not 100% required). 

I'm not thinking of 'scaling' my business by becoming a 'passive investor' in someone else's business.

The local economy seems to be centered around these types of businesses. 

No, it's not a normal business practice and does not pass the smell test.From driving? 

I see why they say, never go into business with family.

We vend out mostly Ave none of our vendors want to use the vendor portal to communicate—they have their own business management systems and don’t need to bother using a new one just for us. 

Buying rental properties is investing in a business and a place to make your money and time work for you.