RAINE MAGAZINE Volume 20 | Innovate

Ben Carson Talks Entrepreneurship
I looked up and saw across the room a very poised, confident yet
humble gentleman that fit the description of who I was scheduled to
meet. He had a gentle expression on his face and a very kind smile. As
I approached and we both realized we connected with the right person,
his ease increased and smile widened.
We chatted casually for a few minutes and made our way to
a comfortable lounge area in the Orlando Rosen Hotel to begin the
interview. I was excited to discuss some of the important topics in
his newest literary creation: One Nation. It was a story of hope and
inspiration - two words that are
very important to an entrepreneur’s
success.
Dr. Carson came from very
humble beginnings. He and his brother
were raised by his mother after she
divorced their Dad when they were still
very young. Although his mother did
not have much of an education, she
made it a priority for her sons to read
vigorously and appreciate the value of
learning and getting a good education.
As a result, Dr. Carson rose out of
poverty, attended Yale Medical School
and became a pediatric neurosurgeon,
one of the most intense specialties in
medicine.
He didn’t stop there; he went
on to become the Director of Pediatric
Neurosurgery at John Hopkins Medical
Center, regarded as one of the leading
medical institutions in the country.
During his tenure there, at age 33, Dr.
Carson became famous for being the
first surgeon to successfully separate
conjoined twins joined at the head.
His personal story as a surgeon was
turned both into a book and feature
film, called Gifted Hands.
Dr. Carson’s passion for
education empowered him to create
a foundation, The Carson Foundation, that awards academically
accomplished youths of which over 5000 recipients have been awarded
to date. His entrepreneurial spirit extended beyond his not for profit and
poured into his desire to share his story and viewpoints from a different
perspective in both America the Beautiful and his newest work: One
Nation.
Meet Dr. Ben Carson, academic luminary, accomplished
neurosurgeon, common-sense political activist and inspiration to the
many lives he has touched.
His journey to the present day is an incredible one - a story
that can give hope to millions. Dr. Carson shares a few moments with
Raine during a very busy bookour to discuss how his newest literary
creation relates to entrepreneurism.
RAINE: How would you equate your journey to someone who is looking
to start their own business?
CARSON: When I started as a pediatric neurosurgeon, there were a
lot of challenges. There were a lot of things that people said shouldn’t
be done or couldn’t be done. The same kinds of things that people
encounter that are trying to start businesses. Similarly to business,
medicine requires conviction and courage to do things that are new
and different but you have to have an understanding that it is going to
work.
RAINE: How would you ignite a great
number of entrepreneurs to move
forward with their goals, or increase the
number of small businesses growing in
America?
CARSON: What we would have to do
starts with the government. Right now,
every week there are dozens of new
regulations that come out, encircling
business, industry, academia—
everybody. If the government doesn’t
like what you are doing they just start
pulling the noose.
About twelve weeks ago the last lead
smelting plant was closed in America
because the EPA just came in and
said, “You violated this… “This will
cost you this…,” or “you can just shut
down.” That’s just not helpful. We have
much better ways of controlling things.
Instead of shutting things down we
should be looking at the safest ways
of producing things. You look at all the
energy resources we have; we should
be looking at the safest ways and the
most environmentally friendly ways
to do that, rather than ways to shut
businesses down. That is what will
increase entrepreneurship and at the
same time encouraging new sources
of renewable energy. There are a whole
series of ramifications that come with doing things in a wise manner.
RAINE: I like the points you brought out in the book about visionary
leadership—wisdom versus knowledge. Can you go into that a little
bit?
CARSON: It is primarily the atmosphere that one creates that creates
entrepreneurship. Early on in our nation, we created an environment
where if somebody did something and it was very productive they
become wealthy, their families become wealthy and their communities
become wealthy. Because unlike the land barons of Europe, our people
would create more factories, textile mills and create things that allowed
others to be able to work, which is how we created the most dynamic
middle class that the world has ever seen. That is really where our
economic power came from, and I think there are some people that