I've been pretty busy lately here in blockchain land and haven't posted much. But I have been keeping up with the news of the world and the crypto community and watching the events unfolding. 
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Front and center here, of course, has been Ned laying off a massive amount of staff. I am delighted to see this. Before you limber up your throwing arms and start tossing rotten veggies at me let me explain why. Steem, Inc like most (make that all) of the endeavors here on the Steem blockchain is a startup. Startups have unique problems and are started by people who don't always have a solid background in business.

Startups start with an idea, often a really revolutionary idea that will move the world forward by a giant leap instead of a few creaky steps. They are run by people of vision - a vision that is not often shared by the three piece suit world who act as the guardians of money.  

A startup often puts on people they think they need, sometimes trying to become more attractive to the three piece world. There are two legged predators who go after startups trying to worm their way into the marketing department, the sales department, and other parts of the company promising great results in return for a large paycheck. They look good on paper but they are interested only in the money, not the success of the company. If the company fails, there's another one or ten or a hundred around the corner to prey on.

Most startups are "people heavy". This drains the company of much needed capital at the worst possible time. I have run 5 startups in my business life and each one was a learning experience that helped me go on to the next, making it more successful than the ones that came before. I had a sign hanging in my office after the first one that applies to every startup everywhere no matter the industry. **Run Lean**
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When a startup doesn't do that, there will be no money in the dragon cave for the tight times that are sure to come. Cutting the staff and overhead is the most positive sign I have seen yet for the continued existence of Steem Inc, Steemit and Steem. Reality bites, but it gobbles up those who choose to ignore it. Ned is not ignoring it. That's a very good sign!

But will Steem survive? Crypto Winter seems to have arrived in full force and Steem has dropped to some eye popping lows. It will be a long hard winter, and my crystal ball is cloudy when I look to the future of Steem. Most things that go down do rise again, and Steem could do the same. But there is one major problem here on the Steem blockchain.

If we don't change our mindset, Steemit and Steem will pass into oblivion. The future of Steem is actually in our hands, and our minds. You can not keep taking money out, without bringing money in and survive. You can't do it in your personal life, in your business life and certainly not even here on Steem. Without replenishing that well of money, be it fiat, or crypto or token, you will eventually hit the bottom of that well. 

There are so many really good dApps and initiatives here. So many people who have improved their lives by collecting Steem and making a difference. But if all the Steem is going out, and new holdings aren't coming in, Steem and Steemit will die. We need new people, we need fresh blood, we need to foster ways to get the conventional net involved with their money and their ideas and their abilities. 
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We need to be able to answer the all important question for the non-blockchain world *"What's in it for me?"* and the answer to that can't be - "well, you get paid to write blog articles".  

WHY don't we have a sales area for authors and artists and musicians tee shirt makers and and and that accepts Steem? Yes, I know there are some attempts at this sort of shop, but why don't we have a button on our account page that goes to a Steem powered shop? 

Why don't we have a tie in with an international shipper or individual regional shippers, perhaps some who would take Steem? 

What are WE as individuals or companies doing to bring more money into Steem? Until we, as a community, change our mindset and start thinking about boosting the Steem economy all the cost cutting Ned can do will be for naught. Because eventually the well WILL run dry unless it's refilled with fresh Steem holdings.