Steemwhales is a little bit behind, but as far as I can tell I passed legendary Steemian @smooth in number of overall followers. I'm pretty sure I just broke the top 100 most followed authors on Steemit. Now that's a hell of a milestone! I'm so happy to have you all here with me. I'm blessed to have the chance to interact with so many wonderful and smart people!
@kaylinart
I attribute a lot of my success to her. I really enjoy reading her posts. They are thoughtful, well-written, and always display well. I started just by commenting on her posts. She'd write a story and I'd rush to be the first to comment with gif or meme. She was quick with responses, which is amazing because she has more than twice as many followers as I do and I know how hard I have to work after I post to keep up with comments. I can't imagine yet how she's so good at it. But it's obvious that she cares about this place and her followers!
Well, next up, because I liked her and her approach so much I studied her and her style and wrote a post about how she's able to find a format that works really well on here. I think of this piece as my best writing/authoring advice for minnows, and it's mostly just observations about how she works. Well, she liked it and she shared it, and suddenly something like 2,000 Steemians saw it.
https://steemit.com/blogging/@aggroed/tips-to-successful-steemit-posting-learning-from-kaylinart
A change in me
I was pretty happy to sit around and make snarky comments while sitting low on the totem pole. It's fun and I do that anyways, but once she shared my post something clicked. I got all of these followers because of her and I really started to feel the need to grow up, put the asshattery away, and take this more seriously. They weren't just my crowd who may have been accustomed to that. These people came because of her resteem and now I felt responsibility to honor that. The growth happened instantly after she shared my post and it dawned on me how much she had just helped me. I detailed that experience here- https://steemit.com/gratitude/@aggroed/gratitude-to-kaylinart-welcome-to-new-followers-and-maturing-as-a-community-member
@fyrstikken and SteemSpeak
Around this same time I started hanging out in the discord channel. I had already used it to play League of Legends (Sona support is my girl) so I was familiar. I saw in a footer of a message the discord channel so I hopped in. What I found was an extremely intelligent and savvy group of people. I don't have a crypto background. I started with this account. So, that's like 8 months, but the benefits of hanging out in that group are extraordinary. Just so many smart people, with long histories, developers for Zappl, crypto traders, crypto news, and I also got to meet @steemitqa my brother from another mother! I feel like my understanding of cryptos have rapidly increased because of that group and I can start formulating thoughts on what's in the best interest of the community because I have their opinions as a guide!
One of the things I realized because of them was just how much Steemit was growing.
Between a great community and rising prices this place started blowing up. I realized I was getting a lot of new people on my blog and I wanted to help them figure this place out because it can be a steep learning curve. So, I wrote this and I think it was a minnow hit-
https://steemit.com/steem/@aggroed/i-m-new-here-can-you-explain-steemit-to-me-like-i-m-5
Again I caught some great resteems and suddenly I was shooting up in the ranks.
And I started to see how dedicating my time to helping others get into this place could have a really awesome impact on people, it really hit me in the feels and the bonus on top was that it attracted a lot of people to my wall looking for more advice!
Step 1.
Step 2.
Stepping up my involvement
I feel like I'm in Fyrst's living room in the discord channel! And one day they hatched this plan to buy Nate Brune a house, and I jumped at it. The money wasn't huge, but I wanted to support @picokernal (that's his handle). He's 18, a programmer, kind, thoughtful, and super nice. He works for Steemit so he's got his shit together. So, I said I'd put in200 SBD and acted as his second investor after Fyrst. Well, we all got super stoked about getting a house purchased on the blockchain. We wrote stories and @fyrstikken resteemed mine. That's a few thousand more people that saw my work. The house is a little behind schedule, but I feel like we're gonna make it happen!
So, I started exploding and I felt a massive responsibility to this community to support others
That's when I made the Minnow Support Project. These guys helped me and I wanted to give back. It's a promise to resteem minnows. It took me 8 months to really start feeling like I made it here. I'm hoping that I can cut that in half for some folks between tips, comments, resteems, and some projects! Out of that project I've built badges with @elyaque. They've been pimped by @liberty-minded. And I've even got a sweet video from @juanmiguelsalas.
Now, I'm also picking up a ton of people because they want to follow and get resteemed and have a break out moment! In a sense the first winners are paving the way for the next crop. Those badges should hlep them too. They can put those in the footer and people can learn about the project and they know that the person they are reading has already won some social recognition in the project.
Well, that wasn't enough. I wanted to do more to help this place grow. So, I became a Witness
Huge shout out to @ausbitbank, @teamsteem, @thejohafiles, and @canadian-coconut for encouraging my posts up through that time and helping me feel like I have a place in this community. I get a ton of help on the witness front from @someguy123 and his company. I couldn't do it without him!
I launched my campaign less than a week ago. I have over 140 votes. I'm ranked 55, and I've met a ton of wonderful Steemians. I'm waiting for the post to close but I'm gonna be able to make a great announcement about how well we did for the @t-r-f for Steemfest and I'm hoping we can direct that to @theprophet0. He's 15!!! and he's a witness and he writes a ton. What a great role model! Gotta get him out there!
So, now I have a pretty excellent network. I've spoken with a ton of people on the platform. I have some great witness connections. My witness voting record is like a whose who on Steemit and I'm so flattered that these legendary people are supporting me. Witnesses like @kyle, @timcliff, @furion, @abit, @fyrstikken, @anyx, @ausbitbank, @neoxian, @cyrano, @au1nethyb1, @lukestokes, @someguy123, @teamsteem! That's a shit ton of really awesome, incredibly smart people that support me!
I also have Steem legends in there @gavvet, @stellebella, @honeybeee, @jrcornel, @kaylinart, @dragonslayer109, @papa-pepper, @dwinblood, @meesterboom, @fulltimegeek! These guys are legends! And they support me! I also get some love from people in Steemspeak like @virtualgrowth, @bitcoiner, @steemitqa, @richardcrill, @bitcoinparadise, @jphenderson, @thehulk.
Then there's a whole other crew that are the dedicated fans of the blog. One person called the followers Autobots because I use the Optimus Prime image :) So, here are some Autobots that are on this journey with me!
@everlove, @karenmckersie, @v4vapid, @isaac.rodebush, @thelightreports, @drpuffnstuff, @sacred-agent, @scardycatguide, @wakeupsheeps, @efrageek, @dbzfan4awhile , @swolesome, @rangertx, @jesse2you, @tomekkk, @judym are on my wall all the time! It's fun to see the same people and develop a dialogue with folks about what we're finding on this platform together.
Finding an amazing block as a witness
I keep getting teary eyed over this. The kindness and support of this community to other's is simply incredible. I'd have a few more friends on this planet if Steemit had been around earlier... So, to be part of this is remarkable to me.
Giving steem away, and getting more than I give
Anyway, I keep trying to get rid of my SBDs but they keep coming back wth bigger numbers. I've purchased services, I've done contests where I've given liquid rewards, I've done follower appreciation posts where I just give away my SBDs, and I'm doing a giveaway for @theprophet0 and his trip to STEEMFEST. I've given away close to $1000 in just over the last month, but shocking thing to me is that every time I check my account it's still growing. I keep giving and this community keeps helping me recover what I put out there.
Hopefully, I'll be at place soon where I can show the generosity that @ausbitbank can do with his ~1,500 Steem STEEMFEST travel gift! He's a true inspiration!
But what continues to shock me is just how generous this community is with one another. It acts like a living embodiment of abundance! It's the only place I've found like this, and it keeps up late at night thinking about what else can I do to help this place grow?
So, there you have it
Stay in the comments, do business with other steemers with a good heart, interact with this community on and off the blog, try to help other people, and do your best to make Steemit better than how you found it. That's how I've grown.
I also think it helps my witness campaign that I have a pretty simple message to grasp. I value Peace, Abundance, and Liberty and I do my best to promote those values whenever possible. I'm glad it resonates with this community.
I'm so glad to have you all here with me on this journey. Thanks for accepting me into this place as warmly as you have!
Love,
Please vote for me for Witness!
You can find me hanging out on steemspeak, a discord channel that many steemers use to text and talk to each other- https://discord.gg/qjpRj7w
You can find me in Whaleshares- https://discord.gg/GykFB6S
or my new channel PALnet- https://discord.gg/HYj4yvw
I can also be found on steemchat as @aggroed. If you have a post to share give me a good sentence or two of why you think I’ll like it.
You are so sweet for mentioning me all the time ! Gosh you are the best heheh :)
Whatevs! I wouldn't be doing anywhere near as well as I am if it wasn't for you. I'm incredibly grateful to you. I'm in your debt.
Also, it's lovely to have you on my wall. Here, have some pie.
Excellent mate. I truely enjoy your writing. Its through people like you that newbies like me start to grow and extend their wings. Who knows maybe one day I'll be biting at your heels. I love how you encourage not just the bottom to push for the top, but rather push for the top to take hold of the bottom and help them up.
Thanks for your tips.
And please help me grow.orz
:-)
find your bliss and pursue it with passion!
you will grow!
namaste
WOW! ...
I can so relate to what you say! ... I have have been here a month. and somehow 56 people have chosen to follow this smartass ,that is me.
I am not a blogger(yet) ,I don't think. I am just reteeming the things that resonate w/ me,and things that catch my ADD..
I was just sick of Facebook and the trolls and ads. I heard about this site and decided to check it out...
but like you said there are some really great people on here,and so much more positive vibes!
I find that this site is changing me! it challenges me to be a better person,while at the same time I get to be helping to make a better world!
I really wish I could share more of my thoughts and ideas,but I hate writing,and this computer thing is a fight for me. ... but I am curing that the best I can day by day.
Thank you for the mention!
I want to share a picture that I really liked!
I saw this last night and it took my breath away!
I wana make a meme out of it! "moving towards a brighter future with steemit.com" .
picture by @kashmir "Nubra Valley" used wtih permission! thank you @kashmir!
And THANK YOU! @aggroed!
and everyone else who is here and trying to make a better world..you are at least making a better me!
NAMASTE!
Watch your mouth @jesse2you
My mom gave me the bar of soap when I used those words ;)
Hot sauce is way better than soap for the record.
Best,
Isaac
It is taco Tuesday! lol ;-)
Hey, it's a privilege to mentioned along with so many greats @aggroed
So here is a cake for you :)
That looks like a Hawaiian cake with chocolate covered macadamia nuts....oh boy
With maltesers on top ;)
This is the perfect theme song for this post:
New Radicals - "You only get what you give"
And thanks for the mention @aggroed, glad to be part of the journey. Steem on!
Thanks for the shout out @aggroed I feel honored!
I only see bright things for the future of what we can all do.
As we see things not as they are but as what they can become.
Best,
Isaac
Glad you're here with me bud!
Nice story bro, you've got another follower :)
I cannot even imagine you being snarky Lol. You have grown as a person and your growth is evident in everything you do now. Congrats on the achievements! I am working on that post we talked about last night. It's a real sobering, bare-all about my husband's illness and he is being quite candid about it. Hope to have it up tomorrow (we've had to stop and start again). Thanks again!
Well deserved attention @aggroed! Thanks for the mention and your continued work here! Now stow away that asshatery...lol...and keep Steemin' on!
Thanks for your tips, I will definitely be applying them to my upcoming posts. I will be keeping this article as reference.
Rock on!
Hello, congratulations on your achievements and kudos to for your great work. It would be great if you could check out my latest blog here which aims to inspire newbies. thanks!
Congratulations and thank you for all you do for this community!
Steemit is diffcult to use, i hope i can learn something from you.
You will @chl just keep asking questions and experimenting. There are hundreds of people willing to hep you. myself included.
Find something you are super passionate about or devoted to and you will build a community of others that share those common beliefs and want to make your ideas grow into reality.
I have a vision of crowdfunding $10,000 for tablets as $40 a piece and take them all with me on a month long trip and spend every day teaching people how to use steem in developing nations.
Once you find what this is for you chl just go for it! and crush it out of the park ;)
Best,
Isaac
like your idea!
namaste!
I am in the process of building the post and doing all the behind the scenes work. would love to have you @jesse2you be a part of it! I am looking to see what the best price for the best quality tablets is with good cameras.
not the kindle fire!
I am not a tech,or IT person... I struggle to use these things.
but I will definitely share(resteem)... :-) ... and help in any way I can!
namaste!
Kock it out of the park we will (Yoda Talk)
Live long and prosper! :-)
I feel like a much younger you.
that makes me feel olllllllllldddddddd. :)
No, no! Not old! Wise! We minnows have much to learn from you!
Excellent article, yet again. I wish to one day be an Autobot as well.
I think I'd like to start a Writing Chain Project, but I'm not sure how to do more than I'm doing with the 3 Story Chains that I've already started.
Let's Play a GAME!! Once Upon a Time...
Let's do some Sleuthing!!!
Today's Story Game: Horror!!!
Done!
I always kinda wanted to be Galvitron as a kid, the melding of 2 opposing forces into an exponentially strong being. Then again, I'm also a Super Saiyan so I have that going for me.
Much RESPECT @aggroed
You have been PROMOTED FREE for using the "milestone" TAG (hashtag)
https://steemit.com/promoted/milestone
Resteem...
THanks boss!
(nods)
(fist bump)
Keep STEEM N ON,
Frank
I will support your journey bro! love your post verry informative :D
That's awesome! Thank you!
when did you give away steam?!?
I'll be honest. Anyone who uses optimus prime gets my attention.
I give steem every week with the Minnow Support Project. Follower appreciation posts. I am doing close to 300 SBDs for the travel fund.
please check my wallet! I can verify it!
namaste!
Wow, I am honored to make your list of autobots! One of the first posts I read on Steemit was the @kaylinart piece about how to write a proper blog. That helped me immensely. All I can say is, keep doing what you're doing, cause it works! @aggroed
Thanks for coming along with me!!!
Congratulations on your milestone! Great achievement :) and thank you for sharing your experience about Steemit!
Awesome as usual, keep them coming
I love it!!! Very informative!!! :) If you get the chance you should upvote my latest Daily Steemit Vlog about my prediction on Steems price! Thanks! :) https://steemit.com/steem/@parkermorris/steemit-daily-vlog-002-my-steem-price-predictions
Congrats on becoming whale :)
40k sp to go :(
Thank you for the great article @aggroed! Nice to read about "your road so far!"
The reason people like you and keep giving is because you write good content. Helping new steemians Should be a task of all, and putting together good and relevant stories will help them. I have been here two weeks and i have learned a lot from a lot of people, not only About steemit, but Also regarding other things, facts and more.
Keep up the good work, i read all the post.
Thanks for sharing this fantastic read :)
I don't know about Whales yet. Between work and the garden and the chickens, I have alot of reading and learning to do. I appreciate the information you put forward for us newbies!
I love the way you are growing and developing such passion for fellow Steemians, I have recently joined and love to vote and see if I can spread some money around, still learning how to do this and still not sure how to get the little gadget to hover over the amount of money to show me how much steem power I have. So far I have been able to help another Steemian gain a better physical life with an online consultation, and this means she is now able to sleep better and more energy and enthusiasm for life. New science in bioenergetics and quantum physics, so whole new worlds opening up for those brave enough to put their toes in the water. Big shout out also to Greg Mannarino for guiding me to Steem and a new world and to meet people like you and gain more knowledge. Thanks to all and I am following you as well.
This site becomes addictive really quickly. After about four days here, I find myself thinking "I'd rather be steeming" whenever I am on Facebook or well... anything else. Not only is it a real community with some common values or a place to make some money, but a place to find really good, focused content.
The more you give the more you get? Then give me some lol ;)
Some good suggestions.
This post received a 95% upvote from @randowhale thanks to @aggroed! For more information on @randowhale click here!