Thank you for your upvote, follow and in-depth comment @soulart ! I think you're right that having "powerful friends" to guide / promote you on Steemit is an important factor to "make it big". However, that can be achieved by "networking" / "relationship forming" before publishing a "breakthrough post".

I think both "being genuine" and being persistent will eventually surmount any lack of "power friends".

PS: followed you back! ;-)