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To My Ships

Operational

Glossary

An Evolving Lexicon

A

Accountability /əˌkaʊntəˈbɪlɪti/

If you do it, acknowledge it: a tenet we hold resolutely in mind.

Altitude /ˈæltɪˌtjuːd/

‘On a level plain, simple mounds look like hills; and the insipid flatness of our present bourgeoisie is to be measured by the altitude of its great intellects.’ Karl Marx 

Ameliorate /əˈmiːlɪəreɪt/

Improve upon, relieve or offset a situation or state of being that is unsatisfactory or negative. Further, in linguistic context, ‘amelioration’ refers to a semantic change that shifts the meaning of a word or expression from pejorative to positive.

Attitude /ˈætɪˌtjuːd/

Light-hearted, deep-thinking, habitually curious.

B

Banking /ˈbæŋkɪŋ/

Sadly, we must use a bank, even if it’s virtual. Happily, we’ve landed with HSBC and Revolut.

Board meetings  /bɔːd ˈmiːtɪŋz/

These happen quarterly, with mood lighting. They hold us to account for all from which we deviate. 

Branding /ˈbrændɪŋ/

The product itself is brand emissary; quality conveys more than logos and platitudes. 

C

Carbon footprint /ˈkɑːbən ˈfʊtprɪnt/

No act of production returns more than it absorbs. Our work is to move as lightly, efficiently and respectfully as possible.   

Conflict resolution  /ˈkɒnflɪkt ˌrɛzəˈluːʃən/

Handling differences with grace and a modicum of humour.  

Consultants /kənˈsʌltənts/

Welcoming fresh perspectives without losing our own.  

Customers /ˈkʌstəməz/

Considered in everything we do; the reason we exist.

D

Design /dɪˈzaɪn/

Ought to be embedded in our thinking, not an added extra. Good design reduces and resolves existing problems rather than introducing hindrances. 

Distribution /ˌdɪstrɪˈbjuːʃən/

The carefully chosen pathways through which To My Ships products become available to you.  

E

EBITDA /ɛˈbɪt: dɑ/

Acronym, meaning: Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortisation – which denotes a metric used for evaluating a company’s operating performance.

E-commerce /ˌiːˈkɒmɜːs/

Near-effortless purchasing, with efficient delivery to your doorstep.

F

Formulas /ˈfɔːmjʊləs/

Taken seriously, created by professionals of many years' standing.

G

Governance /ˈɡʌvənəns/

Steering the ship with a steady hand and an attentive eye.

H

History /ˈhɪstəri/

Knowing where we come from, and using the past to inform the way forward.

I

Ingredients /ɪnˈɡriːdiənts/

Taken seriously, with much time, care and research devoted to checking provenance, quality and processes.

Insurance /ɪnˈʃʊərəns/

An expensive peace of mind.

Investor relations /ɪnˈvɛstə rɪˈleɪʃənz/

Behaving well and building trust.

L

Lifecycle assessment /ˈlaɪfˌsaɪkl əˈsɛsmənt/

Understanding the impact of our products from start to finish.

Logistics /ləˈdʒɪstɪks/

The behind-the-scenes ballet that keeps things moving.

M

Marketing /ˈmɑːkɪtɪŋ/

Effected with restraint, because product on skin is the strongest way to communicate what we do and why we care.

Material data sheet /məˈtɪəriəl ˈdeɪtə ʃiːt/

Details essential to skilful product formulation.

O

Office /ˈɒfɪs/

Warm, sharp and efficient; where creativity meets productivity.

P

People /ˈpiːpl/

They really matter very much.

Philoxenia /fɪləˈziːnɪə/

The Greek tradition of cordiality and openness towards others; an eagerness to extend hospitality to strangers. For a famed mythic example, see Book V111, lines 616-724 of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, in which Zeus and Hermes (in disguise, the better to scrutinise their subjects) are deeply moved by the gracious benevolence of mortals Baucis and Philemon.

Project management /ˈprɒdʒɛkt ˈmænɪdʒmənt/

Keeping plans on track with a smile and a well-delineated path.

Prototyping /ˈprəʊtəʊˌtaɪpɪŋ/

Investing and being prepared to fail through early prototyping is the best way to refine our offer and resolve potential problems.

Q

Quality control /ˈkwɒlɪti kənˈtrəʊl/

Ensuring the bar is set high – almost out of reach.

R

Research and development /rɪˈsɜːʧ ənd dɪˈvɛləpmənt/

A path to doing better, ventured with judicious attention to detail.

Retail development /ˈriːteɪl dɪˈvɛləpmənt/

Creating space to communicate our intentions.

Retention samples /rɪˈtɛnʃən ˈsæmplz/

Keeping pieces of the past to help inform the future.

Risk management /rɪsk ˈmænɪdʒmənt/

Anticipating challenges, with a view to opportunities.

S

Samples /ˈsɑːmplz/

An enticing taste of what's to come.

Syngenesophobia /sɪnˌdʒɛnɪsoʊˈfoʊbiə/

An extreme, ostensibly irrational fear of one’s relatives. From the Greek syn: ‘together’; genesis: ‘generation’; and phobos: ‘anxious flight’ in early interpretations, including those of Homer. (Now, phobos denotes panic or terror.)

Sizes /ˈsaɪzɪz/

The result of much self-reflection around product usage and provision of responsible refills, ensuring every demand is considered.

  

T

Term desposits /tɜːm dɪˈpɒzɪts/

Safe, steady growth for a secure future.

Testing /ˈtɛstɪŋ/

Comprehensive, taking no shortcuts; products must be safe, effective, and properly validated.

Third-party logistics /ˌθɜːdˈpɑːti ləˈdʒɪstɪks/

Aka: working with reliable partners in order to get
our products to you.

Training /ˈtreɪnɪŋ/

Continuous learning for continuous improvement.

V

VAT /viː-eɪ-tiː/

Handling the requirements of HM Revenue & Customs with grace and precision.

Vetiver /ˈvɛtɪvə/

Chrysopogon zizanioides. A large, tussocky perennial grass, native to Asia and cultivated widely in tropical and subtropical regions (although regarded as invasive in some countries). The root’s constituent oil exudes a rich, earthy, woody fragrance, and is valued for its efficacy in perfumery, skin care, hair care, medicine and aromatherapy.