CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (CLARKSVILLENOW) – When a company begins with passion, the potential is endless. From its humble beginning as a gear company, Clarksville’s own The Tactical Edge had a passion for firearms and today’s progressive shooter. This passion propelled owners Robert Snyder and William Boswell into a now national brand, and recently onto the cover of Recoil Magazine, one of the largest firearms lifestyle magazines in the country.

“We started out of [Robert Snyder’s] garage,” says Boswell. From setting up at local gun shows, their products found a foothold in the community. Then in December 2013, The Tactical Edge opened its doors with their first retail store off Fort Campbell Blvd.

“I got tired of the local shops not having any of the stuff that people wanted,” says Snyder. “When we started The Tactical Edge we wanted to give someone that was a progressive shooter, the younger shooter, an outlet to get the things that were hot and trending in the industry.”

The Tactical Edge soon began manufacturing their own firearms. They watched trends and stayed focused on their core customer, still specifically catering to progressive shooters. The Tactical Edge was the first to bring the DLC bolt carrier to the market. At the launch of another product, the RD-9, the company’s dealer network grew by 50 percent. In just six short years, the company has exploded into a full-blown manufacturer, with 70 dealers nationwide.

While this is their first magazine cover, Snyder and Boswell admit they have approached Recoil Magazine for about two years. It wasn’t until Snyder used the power of social media to change the editors’ minds.

“I took a picture of our Comrade next to another one of our ARs but I pixelated it. We posted it online and 20 minutes later they [Recoil Magazine] were in our inbox.”

The guys sent a Comrade to Recoil Magazine. The staff at Recoil were impressed. So much so the Comrade was the feature weapon, and the cover, of Issue 43.

What Are the Plans for the Future

Snyder and Boswell anticipate the dealer network will continue to grow. With the launch of other products they quickly became back-ordered with all of the requests. Now, with the national recognition of the industry leading magazine, they expect even bigger results.

Bringing It Local

The company plans to stay and grow in Clarksville. Both Boswell and Snyder are veterans, having served in the Guard. Snyder’s wife was active duty at Fort Campbell when they first opened the store. Currently they have 10 employees and are open to what the future holds.

Both men agree that being a part of the community is essential for their success. They are proud of their relationship with local law enforcement but extend beyond the firearms focused network as well.

From food drives, toy drives, and special events for military families, The Tactical Edge stays active in community initiatives year-round. With Clarksville’s military population rotating and evolving, they know they have to stay top-of-mind.

“It’s interesting to see that people still don’t even know we’re here [in Clarksville],” says Snyder. “To Clarksville we’re just a little store. To the rest of the country we’re a huge manufacturer.”

Words of Advice

When asked what advice they’d give to other active duty or veterans with an entrepreneurial spirit, they reflected on their experience. “We were very fortunate to be able to start when we started,” says Snyder. “We got our really big jump on Facebook and social media. Being in the firearms industry now, they censure all of that. We lucked out.”

But both men agree starting any business has to start with a firm foundation.

“Get a game plan. Set goals and achieve them. Whether it’s daily, weekly, monthly. Always constantly try to improve,” says Snyder.

They insist people have to be committed to always improving and evolving. “Don’t stay stagnant. That’s a big thing that we’re seeing,” Boswell admits of their industry. From local shops to bigger manufacturers. The companies that struggle he attributes to largely the same reason.

“They didn’t bring in anything new. They just rely on the same kind of sales. The market is evolving to newer trends. Keep up with the trends, no matter what market you’re in. Take it slow, day by day.”

That’s just what they plan to do, as they continue to see success and growth.