Using the examples of David Gauger and David Wagner, who were active in transalpine commerce, the study shows that entrepreneurs around 1600 were already practising active forms of resilience management. The operationalisation of the resilience concept is based on the observation that actions, as the eventual exercise of the corresponding capabilities, are dependent on the availability of material as well as immaterial resources. With regard to historical subjects of investigation, in this case early modern merchants, liquidity, knowledge and networks emerge as the most important resilience resources. Subsequently, external as well as potential disruptions are discussed with regard to their relationship to resilience. It becomes clear that even supposedly small disruptions can have an impact in the sense of tipping points and domino effects, and can thus cause severe disruptions. Finally, some results from a microeconomic case study are presented with regard to the theoretical considerations made.