Can I become successful by printing and distributing my own book?

Can I become successful by printing and distributing my own book?

Derek Johns (Managing Director - AP Watt Literary Agency) gives expert video advice on: Should I consider using a vanity press?; Are there any good alternatives to traditional publishing routes?; Can an agent help me publish my work via non-traditional routes? and more...

There are a few instances of people having self-published their book in the first place and then going on to sell their books to publishers who make them best-sellers. I have to be honest and say I can't remember one, but I think particularly in America, which seems more receptive to the self-publishing kind of ethos than here.