The Story of Hannibal and the Elephants

The story of Hannibal should be told more often, especially to entrepreneurs in new startups. After all, there are several parallels we can draw from lessons taught through history. Picture this:

Imagine Hannibal is your startup- a compilation of your co-founders, board, mentors and employees as well as the idea, backbone and strategy behind your small company.

The Roman Empire is the large industry you wish to disrupt. Hannibal’s tactic was seemingly obvious. He developed a war strategy that played to his strengths and his opponent’s weaknesses by essentially learning what his opponents did wrong over time and using that intelligence to his advantage to conquer his enemies (and scale).

Hannibal ran into a problem- as many startups do at one time or another. The problem was that Hannibal needed to move an army which included war elephants from Iberia through the Alps and into Northern Italy during the Second Punic War.

Apparently, it’s difficult to squeeze a few elephants through a dangerous mountain range in a blizzard. So difficult in fact that the Romans said “It cannot be done.” -I imagine this is sort of like when everyone said not even Marissa Mayer could make Yahoo relevant again.

According to legend, Hannibal answered in a famous phrase “Inveniam viam aut faciam” or “I will find a way or make one.” That phrase is echoed through history in stories of Hercules, Shakespeare, and Oedipus. It also seems to be the mantra of the most scrappy, fierce, hustling founders in the startup community.

After he lead the army to Italy, he won three very important battles, and somehow, as an individual, became the biggest threat to the Roman Empire. He conquered several areas, completely messed up the Roman government, and legend has it that he taught Romans the meaning of fear. He completely disrupted and wrecked the most powerful empire in history.

Hannibal is known as the “Father of Strategy.” The phrase “Hannibal is at the gates” reminded Romans for years that Hannibal found a way to lead elephants through the Alps, and disrupt an empire. The phrase is still used today.