Steemit Chat has had a lot of help from @riverhead who manages the server and from @pfunk -also an admin now and our lil' mod team. We've seen a gradual rise in users and it remains a good place to network and collaborate.

There are tonnes of channels to choose from. I've listed a few here: https://steemit.com/steemit/@firepower/dummies-guide-to-using-steemit-chat-effectively-everyday - It's an old article and a lot of it is still relevant today.