First week on Steemit

Hello I have been with this community for almost a week, and already feeling at home. I did what I usually do when I meet new friends I started experimenting and see what was socially acceptable here. I'm still figuring out but I think this community for the most part is forgiving.
I am an ethical hacker, but not by trade. I do it on the side, more as a hobby, but I'm really good at it. I love to teach and really love to learn!
Some of my interests are religions studies, history, self-improvement, weight lifting, reading, hiking, rock climbing, and music/poetry. I play only stringed instruments, but I'm trying to learn drums (not good at beats I'm finding out).
Now I'm starting to study this Steemit community. I'm thinking it will help me understand economic studies, and social studies. I'm thinking of viewing it as it's own country, though we don't have laws necessarily we do have what's accepted and what's not so that's basically law. We also have political leaders (whales) and running for office takes an extremely grueling campaign.
So this is me, and my views. If I may I'd like to end with a question:
Have any whales started as nothing and actually worked their way up? Or are you all Steem investors and just spent your money on steem? Just wondering what to expect.