Kirk Krappe

War isn't the best analogy for business, but there are lessons you can draw from the battlefield. Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. Ever heard a war metaphor in a business meeting? Who hasn't? Go get 'em, troops. Flank the enemy, attack their resources and try not to incur too much collateral damage. Turn on a film, fast forward to any boardroom scene and every line of dialogue will drip with lines like these.

No matter where you stand politically, there is no doubt that the 2016 election is different from the rest. Never before have we seen two candidates this polarizing and levels of national frustration and discontent this high. As the cofounder and CEO of a tech unicorn, Apttus, I can attest to the fact that the 2016 election has created a complex situation for any executive – one ripe for an enterprising team but certainly not without its risks.

Unicorns—private companies valued at $1 billion or greater—have taken a beating in the second half of 2015. Look no further than the latest tech IPOs from onetime unicorns Square and Match. Both companies' comparatively chilly valuations hint that the hype around unicorns is overblown, as observers have rushed to point out. But the reason why is at least partly a matter of semantics, which we all have the power to change.