Great achievements have been made, plus dedicated funding for business and farmers has increased.
In my third week as a user on Steemit, I was able to reach three fairly big milestones. I don’t want to keep you waiting, so here they are:
I created my first post that earned a double-digit payout. It generated $30.93! You can read it here, if you’d like: Ayn Rand…the Anarchist? I also have another post on its way to a similar payout! [Edit: That post has now closed out at $30.68.] My previous high was $1.52.
I gained my 100th follower. I don’t exactly know who it was, but if you know who you are, then congratulations! When I’m rich and famous, you’ll be able to use that as your claim to fame…assuming that you’re not rich and famous before me.
My reputation level broke 50. I think this mostly had to do with the votes that I received from my last few blog posts, but I’ve made it a point since being here to engage with other users as well. I make sure to comment on posts that I enjoy and I try to respond to everyone who comments on my posts. I know a lot of people don’t upvote comments, so I don’t expect a lot of reputation boost from that. (I also haven’t been upvoting my own comments the entire time, but perhaps I should?)
I really do appreciate all of the support that I’ve received since joining and I hope that my followers will continue to support me going forward.
My Business and Non-Profit Community Projects
School house in San Marcos de Tarrazú, Costa Rica
For those of you who are not aware, I stated very early on that 50% of the SD that I earn would be dedicated to my start-up business working with coffee and cacao farmers in Central America and to non-profit projects in those farming communities. I wrote my initial commitment here: Enriching Lives Through the Power of Steemit. As the business progresses and I’m able to work out the specifics of the projects, I’ll update this vision and share all of the details here on Steemit.
As of this posting, I have acquired a total of $17.14 SD.
My plan is to provide you, the Steemit community, with content that you enjoy and hopefully value, and to use this platform as a source for crowdfunding my business – with no costs or risks to anyone! If you like my posts and/or my vision for my business, then you’re free to support me through Steemit. It’s not only a risk-free manner to support entrepreneurs, but this would be a great way to showcase both the legitimacy and the value of Steemit, and to demonstrate the feeling of community to anyone who’s skeptical or apprehensive about the platform. (Hey, 
Much More to Come for All of US
Many of us are just getting started here, and it’s no different for me. I have plenty more to write about – more insight into the beautiful world of coffee and farming, additional articles about voluntary society and philosophy/government, and other fun stories to share, like this two-part telling of a Costa Rican calamity: How to Set Your Rental Car on Fire – The Prologue and How to Set Your Rental Car on Fire – The Conclusion.
I see a lot of great writers and other creators here. I’ll continue supporting you and I hope you all continue doing the same. If you see someone producing great content that you enjoy, let them know and give them support. That’s how we’ll help ensure that this community will continue to grow and improve – and how we can all reach new milestones.
Stay tuned for the next update – when I reach 1000 followers, achieve a reputation score of 75, and earn my first $25,000 post. It should happen sometime next week, so you probably don’t want to miss it!