Tέχνη is the knowledge required to create or produce something.

Tέχνη is a practical kind of knowledge that, unlike theory, is only refined by the act of doing.

Tέχνη is at the basis of the word technology (tr., the study of thecne), and technology is at the basis of all of the Odyssey’s projects.

In building a company, our sailors have needed to enact τέχνη constantly, because success in building only comes through a bias for action. There are two ways of applying it which we believe to be highly relevant: building strong fundamentals, and moving towards progress.

In Homer’s Odyssey, building strong fundamentals is something Ulysses does almost instinctively, when he first constructs the bed that will be at the center of his palace in Ithaca. There, the τέχνη, i.e., his technical skill is shown by the concrete way in which he needs to prepare the materials, set the instruments, and build something from scratch.

But the bed does not just become an example of his capability and refined skill; later in the story, it also becomes what identifies Ulysses in a moment of distrust between him and his partner. It becomes the synonym of a strong relational foundation.

Tέχνη is also used to move forward: in Ulysses’ case, it encompasses every word he speaks, every action he undertakes; in the case of our sailors, building products, validating them with potential clients, and modifying them where needed, the τέχνη is not just in producing, but also being able to understand the needs of the markets.

Because even with the strongest foundation, there is no success without sale.

This week, our sailors focus on refining their τέχνη: building better, speaking better, but fundamentally just doing better.

Because if τέχνη is about learning by doing, the only way of learning is through action. Only by navigating the waves one can learn to master the storm.