The story of EDGE began in 1982 when founder Garry Bristow started as a junior rep. By 1998, he was mentoring a small team of 14 merchandisers. Today, 28 years later, three of those original 14 are still in the business—now serving as District Managers. This proved that when people are given the right skills and a real chance, they don’t just work; they rise.
The Merchandising
Reality Check…
As the industry scaled, that personal mentorship vanished. Garry saw “the big players” treating training as an expense rather than an investment—one top player even called a R120 annual training fee “too expensive.” The realisation dawned that if the industry wouldn’t step up to value its people, EDGE would.
The Birth
of Edge
After two decades as a partner at Meridian Sales and Merchandising, Garry retired with a burning question: How do we ensure no merchandiser is ever left untrained?
EDGE Merchandising Academy &
Consulting was the answer.
The story of EDGE began in 1982 when founder Garry Bristow started as a junior rep. By 1998, he was mentoring a small team of 14 merchandisers. Today, 28 years later, three of those original 14 are still in the business—now serving as District Managers. This proved that when people are given the right skills and a real chance, they don’t just work; they rise.
How do we ensure no merchandiser is ever left untrained?
Garry Bristow Edge Academy Founder