-Playing suited connectors without a sufficient number of pre-flop opponents to give me the implied odd I need to make these hands profitable.
This really jumped out at me. What you've said here is more like what I would expect out of someone who is learning fixed-limit hold'em. In no-limit and pot-limit hold'em, one reason suited connectors are valuable on a basic level is how aggressive you can be with them post-flop. I'm not sure where your level of understanding is on this type of thing, but they aren't just there to be played passively.