https://steemit.com/statistics/@arcange/steemit-statistics-20180617-en  @arcange's graphic and stats!  

Recently, I've decided to try to help set reasonable expectations on SteemIt.com.  It is a self appointed task. Done of my own free will and supported by my view of how the platform is growing.    All ideas are my opinion and should be weighed against other ideas that you hear.  There are many ways to be successful and zero people with authority on Steem.  If someone is telling you what you have to do, consider not listening or at least get a second opinion.

If you are a new user who doesn't want to invest money, and are hoping to get whale or dolphin support, you need to understand the situation.  

We have:

•  37 Whales
• 260 Orcas
• 1686 Dolphins
• 8243 Minnows
• 129,615 Redfish

This is why we need to build a middle-class.  We need people to build their stake and hold it, so they can support end-users.  The more people who hold a bit of stake, the more end-users can be supported.

There are just not enough large voters to get to everyone, and most are not combing the site looking for minnows.   I think minnows will have to build their own network and build themselves and each other up.  This is why I encourage self-voting for minnows. (not 10 a day - define your own reasonable amount)  Minnows can also earn by engaging with comments and also with the occasional Dolphin/Whale votes.  They may not make much money as they build a following.  If they come in expecting it to be difficult they will be more likely to stay. 

This is not meant to be discouraging.  Those who talk about Poor Retention are missing the fact there are accounts that are no-longer active due to spamming and scamming, and many accounts were made for specific reasons, or to hold Steem.  We do not have a million accounts that were created to blog and decided not to.  

There are many reasons to create an account.  Some were created for testing or speculation and not to blog or vote.  Please question people who talk about poor retention.  What are they comparing us to as a standard?  Why do they think a young crypto social media site would be on par with even Facebook or Twitter (if that is their standard)  In my opinion it is a #fakenews problem.  Ask some questions and decide for yourself.  Someone said it and others started repeating it.  We are using the proof of concept site at this point with minimal support, but that is not the long-term plan.  That is why what we are doing right now doesn't need to be sustainable or look great on paper. 

Another question is who do we want to retain.  If a minnow comes in without investment and starts screaming immediately that they are not earning after their first 5 posts, is that someone we want to retain?  Speaking only for myself, I am fine if that person moves along to the next get rich project they find.

If someone started an account and wants to grow it from scratch, it is going to be a long haul, but it absolutely can be done.  Especially if your content is awesome!  I made 95 posts that didn't earn anything.  (not in a row)  I made hundreds more that earned very little, but there is a point that it starts to grow quickly if one networks.  Also, even a small early investment pays off over time.  If you are a minnow hoping to make a living from Steem without investing, while I wish you luck, you better be great at both Content Creation and Networking!  

We are here early!  SteemIt, Inc has struggled with keeping up with Account Creation, and the next hardfork changes that.  Don't get frustrated before we even open the gates. 

Reset your expectations, buckle up and realize this is a toddler site in a young industry.  All of the issues we have are normal and they  seem loud because we are decentralized and everyone has a voice.  It is bothering me that we have so many people complaining and that many small users are getting started on a negative note.  Remember the loudest voices do not necessarily represent the majority or the stakeholders.  The complaining is contagious, but is what they are saying true?  (You have to decide who to believe and who to follow)

Remember to question everything you read. Ask yourself is this fact or opinion?  We have a lot of people who state their opinions as facts and tell other people how to use the site.  Question Everything.  :)  

Act in your own best interest.  Try to set some realistic goals for yourself.  It can be difficult to not get a lot of feedback on your content when your account is small.  So set goals, reset them as you figure out what is reasonable.

In addition, this isn't for everyone.  It is fine with for some to decide this isn't their gig.  It's a niche, inside of a niche. 

Let's start setting realistic goals, celebrating success, owning our own success and create a realistic view.  At this time, this is not a get rich quick scheme.  Maybe at some point money will rain down on us, but probably not today!

The good news is that many are staying and earning and when we start the next phase they will be coveted by the young platforms looking for users with even a little bit of stake.

@whatsup