I've been on the platform for less than a month but my best advice as a minnow to another...
Don't get discouraged and come to steemit hoping to make it big!
It just leads to premature failure... instead take the money aspect out of the equation and just have fun and meet new people and interact with them.
Thats the best and only advice I have because that is what steemit is all about... the content and the social interactivity!