Dan Blacharski, president of Ugly Dog Media, Inc., is a 20-year industry veteran and dotcom boom survivor. He has contributed to dozens of print and online publications, and has helped countless companies create their messages and reach their full potential.

First let me begin by saying that there is no secret to success; no top-secret formula nestled away is some vault hidden hundreds of feet below the earth somewhere in the Nevada desert. There’s no packet of magic beans that once planted will yield you a solid sustainable corporate beanstalk by morning. A trip to any local library or Barnes and Noble illustrates that the methods and techniques used by many of the world’s most wealthy and powerful business men and women to achieve their success have all been well documented. The old school philosophy dictates that if you wish to acquire wealth and become successful, simply study the wealthy and successful. And although this seems like very sound advice it typically tends to leave one particularly significant ingredient out of the equation…YOU.

As an entrepreneur, you determine your own business plan, the look and feel of your product or service, marketing strategies, and operating costs. Your business owns something that no other company has…YOU. That’s because there is only one you.

Now on the surface you’re thinking this may seem obvious. Well of course, there’s only one Me! But never underestimate the power of being you. No one knows you better than you. So learn to embrace the true uniqueness of who you are. You have your own ideas, your own perspective, your own talents and attributes, and your own beliefs. You are your own brand. And your business should reflect this.

We tend to spend a lot of time wondering what kind of “Me” we should be. And typically we’ve always turned to Madison Avenue for the answer since they’ve been more than happy to sell you who you are. Remember, countless yachts and million dollar homes have been financed with money made at high-priced seminars hosted by business gurus and life coaches telling you how to be you. We tend to spend an inordinate amount of time gathering information and listening to others’ advice, but rarely do we take the time to listen to ourselves. Try it once you might be amazed at just how smart you really are.

Again, while gathering all of this information and processing everyone else’s insight and advice is all well and good, ultimately the decision to take action lies with you. What do you think? What do you feel? What do YOU want? Kinda scary, huh? Starting anything new is always a little frightening. Feel the fear and do it any way! Don’t let Wall Street or Madison Avenue, or any of the countless business advisers that want to pigeonhole your business plan, define your success. And don’t ever confuse lack of experience with a lack of knowledge. Both can be gained through persistence and hard work. Any successful entrepreneur will tell you that real success, material or spiritual, is well-rooted in a strong work ethic.

Knowing who you are and what you want to achieve as an entrepreneur are key elements to your success. Sometimes though it’s not so much about knowing yourself, but learning to really trust yourself and follow your instincts. Ultimately you define your own success…whatever that might be. English poet William Ernest Henley concludes his short poem “Invictus” with the words, “I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul.” Don’t be afraid to tap into your own potential and into who you are. Only then can you truly become a master of your own fate.