I loved your metaphor of the hotel and the one with the empty store. They're fantastic illustrations of exactly what you were talking about, and you're absolutely right. You can't demand value here on Steemit. Value for your work is derived from what other users gain from it. The trick is, and always has been, developing connections with people and providing value to them. Just like in the real world where word-of-mouth is worth thousands of dollars in random advertising, resteems and social interaction are worth their weight in gold when it comes to building your blog. I'm thankful that I've made it past the 500 follower threshold myself, and I stand by that advice. Build a quality following and the rewards always follow.