Following the sad passing of Mary Flavelle, one of the UK’s most respected business networkers and champions of the SME community, Alec Jones-Hall, Director of Great British Expos, reflects on her remarkable life, her extraordinary contribution to British business, and the lasting legacy she leaves behind after more than four decades of bringing people together.

The UK business community has lost one of its most recognisable and respected champions with the passing of Mary Flavelle last Friday.

To thousands of business owners across the country, Mary was a familiar face – a gifted networker, mentor, speaker and the warm, welcoming hostess of the Great British Business & Community Awards. To all of us at Great British Expos and SME Today, she was so much more. She was a treasured friend, an unwavering supporter and someone whose belief in people helped shape our organisation from its very beginning.

When Great British Expos was founded in 2012, our vision was to bring high-quality business exhibitions to regional SMEs, creating opportunities for businesses to connect, collaborate and grow without having to travel to London.

Our very first exhibition was in Windsor, Berkshire.

There was just one problem – we knew virtually nobody in Berkshire.

The very first person we reached out to was Mary Flavelle.

Mary came to meet us at our offices in Cookham and, within minutes, we realised that if Mary didn’t know someone in Berkshire, they probably weren’t worth knowing. That first meeting marked the beginning of a friendship and partnership that would span more than fourteen years and help shape the future of Great British Expos.

From that day onwards, Mary believed in us.

Whether we were launching exhibitions in new regions, expanding into the North West, creating SME Today or developing new ideas to support the UK’s SME community, Mary never questioned whether we could succeed. She simply believed that we would. Her confidence gave us confidence, and her encouragement helped turn ambitious ideas into reality.

Mary possessed a rare gift. She could connect with anyone.

She had an extraordinary ability to make people feel welcome, valued and important, regardless of their age, background or position. Relationships were never transactional for Mary; they were genuine, lasting friendships built on kindness, trust and a sincere desire to help others succeed.

One thing that never stopped amazing me was watching Mary at our events across Berkshire.

Wherever we exhibited, people would constantly stop to greet her with genuine warmth and affection. They didn’t simply know Mary – they greeted her as though she had played an important part in their lives.

After they had walked away, I would often ask, “Mary, who was that?”

More often than not, she would smile and reply, “I can’t remember.”

It always made me laugh, but it also perfectly illustrated the scale of Mary’s influence. She had met, supported and encouraged so many people throughout her career that she simply couldn’t remember everyone.

Yet they all remembered her.

That is perhaps the greatest measure of the impact she had on the business community.

Long before community became a business buzzword, Mary had already built one.

As the founder of Ladies Who Latte, she transformed the way women networked in business. What started as a simple idea became an international community of more than 20,000 members, creating a welcoming environment where women could build relationships, gain confidence, share experiences and support one another in business. The success of Ladies Who Latte changed the networking landscape and inspired countless other business communities that continue to thrive today.

Mary brought that same philosophy to every Great British Expos event.

She led our women’s networking sessions, hosted exhibitor networking and inspired thousands of business owners to recognise that networking wasn’t about selling – it was about building meaningful relationships.

Many of the women who first attended Mary’s networking sessions at our exhibitions have since gone on to establish successful networking communities of their own across Swindon, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester and the Thames Valley. Mary’s influence continues through every one of those communities.

She loved sharing stories to demonstrate the power of networking. Whether recalling conversations with former Prime Minister Theresa May, meeting the High Commissioner of Malaysia or spending time with fashion designer Jimmy Choo, every story reinforced the same message – opportunities begin with relationships.

If we ever needed an introduction, Mary’s famous little black book was never far away.

Through Mary we were introduced to British Olympians, the first female Chief Executive of British Rail, Hollywood actors, influential political figures, leading entrepreneurs and many of the UK’s most inspiring business leaders.

She never saw status or titles.

She simply saw people.

When the idea of launching regional business awards was first discussed, neither Mary nor we had ever organised an awards ceremony.

Most people would have focused on the reasons why it might not work.

Mary focused on making it happen.

She became the voice and face of our awards programme, helping transform one ceremony into three prestigious events – the Thames Valley Business & Community Awards, the South West Business & Community Awards and the Great British Business & Community Awards.

Since 2018, Mary welcomed and celebrated more than 4,500 businesses at our awards ceremonies, bringing warmth, professionalism and genuine enthusiasm to every event.

She was equally passionate about our charitable work through Cherishers 811 CIC, supporting individuals as they rebuilt confidence and returned to employment. Mary believed deeply in giving people opportunities and encouraging them to fulfil their potential.

Looking back over the past fourteen years, Mary’s contribution to our journey is impossible to quantify.

Together, we have welcomed more than 75,000 business leaders to our events, helped raise over £500,000 for charitable causes, launched a national business publication and built one of the UK’s leading regional business awards programmes.

Mary was there through every milestone.

Not because she had to be.

Because she believed in what we were trying to achieve.

Of all the lessons Mary shared, two have remained with us above all others.

The first was wonderfully simple:

“A smile goes a long way.”

Mary lived those words every single day. Her warmth, positivity and generosity opened more doors than any business strategy ever could.

The second was equally powerful:

“You’ll be amazed at the support you receive if you simply ask for help.”

Mary understood that people genuinely want to help one another. She never hesitated to make an introduction, open a door or connect two people who could make a difference to each other’s lives.

Those two simple lessons perfectly encapsulate the way Mary approached both business and life.

When people reflect on Mary’s legacy, they will rightly remember Ladies Who Latte, Great British Expos, our awards programmes and the countless businesses she encouraged.

But perhaps her greatest achievement cannot be measured in events, memberships or awards.

It can be measured in people.

In the entrepreneurs whose confidence she built.

In the friendships she created.

In the opportunities she opened.

In the businesses that flourished because of a conversation she started.

And in the thousands of people who left one of Mary’s conversations believing a little more in themselves than they did before they met her.

On behalf of everyone at SME Today and Great British Expos, we extend our deepest condolences to Mary’s family, including Harry, Neil, Richard and Chris, her grandchildren, and the many friends and colleagues whose lives she enriched.

Mary Flavelle’s contribution to the UK business community was extraordinary.

Her influence will continue to be felt wherever people come together to support one another, build relationships and create opportunities.

That is a legacy that will endure for generations.