A smaller player can beat the bigger players with this strategy. 

My wife has decided to pivot her career and is in the process of getting her real estate license.

(although that data advantage is shrinking as the big national players get more aggressive)Especially when you are just getting started, it can lend you some credibilityIf you choose the brokerage you join carefully, you may be in a position to learn a lot from your teamAside from these, there aren't many benefits.

Our fixed players are the Management Company, the Lender, our Attorney and at least one partner.

If the market completely disintegrated from deflation, inflation, flu, war, drought.... we will be the small players suffering much less than everyone else.Frank

Take it slow, go to REIA meetings in your city/town, meet buyers and other wholesalers and be a team player, learn, but be weary of shelling out money.If you need help with "judging a deal", that was my main focus getting into this business and I'd be happy to share what I know so far.

I agree with you; much like football players who go crazy when scoring a touchdown, these folks should "act like they've been there before".

Know who are real players on your Cash Buyers List and give them exclusive 1st look. 

Then there were some kids that just collected the cards of their favorite players and didn't care as much about their value.  

The problem many face is being out bid by a few entrenched players which dominate local auctions, or others willing to pay too much.