I found a small boutique RE brokerage of just 2 guys in the commercial side that were really just focused on their own clients and book of business that weren't looking to grow a RE brokerage, and I hung my license with them. 2.

I am former investment banker and have my own investment boutique.

I would look at a more boutique place that's going to spend more time and energy on your place rather than your place just being another home in the blender.Collin H and @Leslie Anne Morris come to mind.

Unless you pay top dollar for a boutique rehab (which is typically not what you would want for a BRRRR), you're working with the fourth or fifth string of GCs only.So successfully finding and working with a GC on your first BRRRR is far more a matter of luck than most people make it out to be, while successfully acting as your own GC on even a moderately complicated single-family renovation for rental purposes is a lot more complicated than most people understand.What's the solution?

This area has your boutique restaurants, and independently owned coffee shops. 

Bed and Breakfast (B&B): If the house has multiple bedrooms and can accommodate guests, running it as a boutique bed and breakfast could be a steady source of income.

Should I focus on networking and applying to boutique brokerages to jumpstart my ambitions?

I have a nearly remodeled short term rental property just North of Blue Ridge, GA and have begun talking to a few big property management companies in the area, however I 'd like to speak with a few smaller, boutique prop. managers that might work better for myself and the property. 

Others landlords may prefer to be more "boutique" (I hate that word but don't know a synonym).

In my limited experience here, it is less likely this will be the case with franchises than with boutique or local brokerages since the compensation structure of management doesn't port well well the franchises' billing methods.