As our own ‘Mr Chesterfield’ retires,
Reflections director Rob Bannister celebrates
our incomparable sales manager, Mike Snow
This month, we say a fond farewell to Mike Snow as he retires after more than 33 years at the heart of Reflections Magazine. While retirement marks the end of an era for the magazine, it also gives us the opportunity to reflect on just how much Mike has means to Reflections, its advertisers, and everyone fortunate enough to have worked alongside him.
Mike first came looking for a job back in 1993 and was quickly put to work delivering film to the printers, making the long trips over to Buxton. It was there that Reflections founder Graham Bannister clearly saw something special in Mike, qualities that would go on to define his remarkable career. More than three decades later, that instinct proved absolutely right!
Mike has been far more than an advertising ‘salesperson’,
he has been the face, the energy, and in many ways the heart of Reflections. Through enormous changes in publishing and advertising, including the rise of the internet and the challenges faced by print media, Mike continued to thrive because he understood something more important than sales: relationships.
What set Mike apart was that he genuinely cared. He was never a stereotypical salesperson simply chasing bookings. Mike wanted businesses to succeed. He wanted advertisers to feel valued, supported, and proud to appear in the magazine. He built real friendships with people, visiting them regularly, checking they were happy, and always doing whatever he could to help. That kindness and sincerity earned him enormous respect throughout the industry.
On a personal note, following the death of founder Graham Bannister in 2010, Mike did what came naturally to him: he stepped up. During an incredibly difficult period for everyone connected with Reflections, Mike became a source of support, stability, and friendship. He was there not just as a colleague, but as someone who genuinely cared about the people around him, and that loyalty and compassion will never be forgotten.
It’s impossible to summarise 33 years of Mike Snow in just a few words because alongside the hard work came so many memorable moments and laughs. There were the late-night takeaways on press evenings as everyone worked to get the magazine to print, moments that became just as much a part of Reflections as the magazine itself. Then there was the infamous attempt at a shortcut after visiting a customer, when Mike tried to jump over a wall to get back to the car, clipped his foot, and went flying through the air before landing flat on his back directly outside the client’s premises. Thankfully, Mike saw the funny side – as he always does.
Mike also never hesitated to throw himself into whatever challenge the magazine required. Whether it was making those last-minute sales calls, appearing on national television during an episode of The Hotel Inspector with Alex Polizzi, or posing for promotional photographs, he always gave it everything. One particularly memorable photoshoot involved Mike demonstrating a reclining chair that reclined just a little too far, leaving him immortalised in the magazine with nothing visible except two feet sticking up in the air.
For many people, Reflections simply became synonymous with Mike Snow. He brought constant energy, positivity, humour, and passion to everything he did, and those qualities will continue to inspire all of us moving forward. Mike helped shape the values that remain at the core of Reflections today, that we care about people, that relationships matter, and that business should always be personal.
As Mike begins his retirement, we know it won’t be a quiet one. There will no doubt be plenty more Exeter FC matches, busy car boot sales, and perhaps even the occasional appearance in a gorilla costume along the way.
Whatever Mike chooses to do next, one thing is certain: he will continue to be loved by everyone who encounters him. Mike, thank you for everything you have given to Reflections over the last 33 years. We wish you nothing but happiness, health, and success in your retirement.
And remember – there’ll always be the pub on Friday!