"Dont let the fear of what could happen make nothing happen."

 "Dont let the fear of what could happen make nothing happen."

Not sure who said this quote but its one of my favourite. 

And this applies to many things in life, phantom planting on council land being one of them. I dont know how many people said to me at the start, your wasting your time, they will get mowed over and ripped out by the council.

Funny I've hundreds now thriving on council land with the councils looking after them also for me.

When I grew up in an estate and I would always have been talking about big ideas and this time next year I'll be a millionaire I would be saying. 

Many of the people who criticised me and told me I was mad had no experience at all in trying new things or thinking outside the box. 

People would have laughed at me when I had my mobile pound shop knocking on doors with a toilet roll and washing powder in my hand trying to tempt people to come out and look in the back of my mobile shop aka Great Deals on Wheels. 

But it was always the people doing nothing with their lives that laughed and criticised. 

I remember though when we used to go around business parks asking people did they want to buy anything many of the business looking type people who I was aspiring to be like used to say, well done what your doing. Keep it up, there's the makings of the next Richard Branson right there. Your going to be a millionaire with that drive you have.

I got all sorts of great compliments from other business people...

You know the owner of Ikea started out selling matches on his bicycle around the doors.

Alan Sugar boiled beetroots and sold them at the market. He also collected old rags from factories to sell.

I know personally people that have came from complete poverty and are now millionaires. One of the richest men in Northern Ireland Lord Rana who I've had some dealings with and is a billionaire. This man I remember as a child coming round the doors selling silk scarves out of a suitcase and then when he became a billionaire one day he walked into my pound shop I had and sold me his old stock of tea towels. I couldn't believe it. I remember thinking to myself this guy owns half of Belfast and he walks in saying he's got stock clearance of old tea towels he has stored. Amazing!

You'd think he would just dump them but no thats these guys secret. They value things. They dont run around with designer bags worth thousands, they carry a normal bag with thousands in it. Every pound is a prisoner to these types of people. Thats why they have it....

I've got the greatest respect and admiration for people who go out there and give it their best shot at making a go of their lives. The way the world is going though these opportunities are getting few and far between. It's getting harder out there.

But can you imagine if this sort of business drive and acumen was used to help nature and our communities. What would our world be like.

Never let anyone put you off your dreams and certainly dont be taking advice or criticism from people who have never taken any chances in life.

And dont forget, keep it symbiotic, if you make money from the monopoly board, try and keep it 50/50 what your spending. Buy yourself some property and also plant yourself a forest. Do your soul good....

#phantomplanter