Likes and follows actually have value, but the returns are delayed. Same way zapping can eventually be more profitable than stacking.

You have to work to expand your reach, to eventually acquire enough paying customers, to sustain a business.

The feed is very thin during 🐻 markets, so any activity on Nostr will raise your reach disproportionally, within a short period of time.
You are, for a time, the only thing "on".