Business Co-Founding Lessons from 3 Cheetahs
The speed of the cheetah is one of its advantages when hunting, but also its weakness. Learn how these three brothers joined forces to increase their chances of success. The cheetah is the fastest
The cheetah, the fastest mammal on earth, often hunts alone. Its strategy: close to 10-30 meters, then a burst of speed, capturing prey in under a minute. During that sprint, at 112-120 km/h, its respiratory rate jumps from 60 to 150 breaths per minute. Its body temperature spikes. Too long, and it’s deadly.
This animal’s hunting success rate hovers around 50%. It’s a number that feels familiar to founders. Harvard Business School pegged startup failure rates (meaning asset liquidation, investor losses) at 30-40%.
The cheetah often fails because it burns all its energy without success. Even if it catches the prey, it might lose the kill to other predators. It has no energy left to fight.
Just like cheetahs, many leaders burn out. Starting a business alone demands immense energy. You might avoid risks, skip new opportunities, or even resign at critical moments. There's no energy, no moral, emotional, or financial support left. Competitors then scoop up those missed opportunities.
Teams succeed because they generate synergy. As individuals, we all have weaknesses. But a team, joining forces, can overcome constraints that block individual goals.
Consider an ostrich. A single cheetah poses no risk to it. One kick from an ostrich’s powerful legs could injure a cheetah, and a cheetah relies on speed for its meals. Any injury that slows it down could be life-threatening. Ostriches represent a market a single feline simply cannot access.
Finally, I leave you to enjoy this video. It shows how unity creates strength, how teamwork eliminates limitations, and how it opens brand-new opportunities:
