I feel like I have some of the pieces I need, but lack the courage, the time (currently in grad school, work full time, and family is sort of important to me...) and the organization to really take off.

Commercial property pricing is beyond the scope of this post.This stuff helps also:4) ORGANIZATION: Get organized before you send out the first campaign.

If you have a deal to share, volunteer to help answer phones or whatever they might need, a skill that can assist them then you can do more exchange than just them making time.

If it were me, I would probably volunteer to let them out of their lease early so they could get a mouse-free location. 

If you have NO cash, you can volunteer to work for an experienced real estate investor by finding a good deal for him or her (hence, you do #2 above - Learn Wholesaling).

I'm active within a women's volunteer organization, the Junior League of Denver, and am looking for someone to come speak to our group in January on the topic of financial fitness and general financial planning Q&A with a group of around 40 women from the denver-metro area.  

I think your "abandoned property" idea is a great way to give them time to organize themselves before you act.

You might try using my PETIO method for organizing your search effort.

I am happy to organize if there are enough people interested.

A custom articles of organization will be required.