Odysseus: The Mythic Traveller & the Founder’s Journey

Ulysses heard the call of the sea. Founders heard the call of freedom

Long before we spoke of “startups” and “exits,” the world had already witnessed its first founder: Odysseus, the mythic king who chose discomfort over comfort, adventure over legacy, and truth over convenience.

He left behind a kingdom not because he lacked power - but because something inside him demanded more. A force not unlike what today's entrepreneurs feel when they leave salaries, titles, or safety in pursuit of something they can’t quite explain… yet refuse to ignore.

The Founder’s Inner Compass

Startups may pitch “innovation” - but the deeper engine is always freedom. Not just freedom from a boss or a 9-to-5. But freedom from being trapped in someone else’s map.

Like Odysseus navigating uncharted waters, founders are led by an internal compass others don’t always understand. They choose storms over silence. Uncertainty over security.

And every decision they face - hiring, launching, fundraising - is a modern version of the Sirens, Cyclops, or Scylla.

What keeps them going isn’t funding.It’s the mythic pull of becoming who they truly are.

Why This Matters in Strategy

As a behavioural strategist, I’ve spent years decoding why we buy, choose, and build - and what’s clear is this:

Founders are not rational creatures. They are driven by myth, identity, and meaning.

You can’t advise a founder by showing them spreadsheets alone. You have to understand:

• Their inner Odyssey.

• What drives their decisions in silence.

• The invisible triggers beneath the surface.

This is why founder strategy must combine psychology, positioning, and symbolic narrative. The same way a great myth does.

Your Business Is Your Ithaca

Ulysses didn’t wander for the sake of motion. He longed to return - but only after becoming someone worthy of that return.

In the same way, your company isn’t just a vehicle for profit.It’s your Ithaca. Your test. Your legacy in motion.

And if you're navigating storms right now —Know that you’re not broken. You’re just on the right path.

Coming soon: Invisible Triggers  - my visual book on how behavioural science drives modern business strategy.