CBD CEO

David Parry would run circles around you. He’s a self-described “crazy adventurist” who last summer paddled 45 miles on a remote Alaskan river with his family—and no guide. This fall, he’ll traverse high peaks in remote British Columbia, carrying all of his gear and food. As President and CEO of both ANC, the largest magazine wholesaler in the United States, and Accelerate 360, a progressive product distribution company, Parry logs 12-hour days, entertains clients most nights, and travels twice a week. And just since January 2019, he’s led the acquisition and integration of eight new companies.

So how does this affable dynamo responsible for a $1 billion business stay sane, healthy, and fit? Like an increasing number of hard-charging executives, Parry counts CBD as one of the key accelerators in sustaining a superhuman pace.

Parry is a life-long gym rat whose daily workout habit was nearly ended by pain from old football and hockey injuries. He’s endured surgeries to both knees, a full shoulder replacement, and countless other bumps and bruises. But over-the-counter pain relievers weren’t working for him. “I was waking up and popping a few ibuprofen in the morning,” he said, “and it was killing my stomach.”

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He heard about CBD from friends and tried an infused water called Hemp Hydrate (3mg hemp extract per 50ml bottle). Almost instantly, he said, he started feeling less stiffness and aching in his joints. Increasing his intake from one to several bottles a day, he was able to wean himself from ibuprofen—and the stomach irritation that came with it.

Parry has since added Naked Leaf salve (300mg CBD per 50ml jar) to his post-workout protocol. “Now when I wake up, I still have stiff knees, but I drink the Hemp Hydrate Relief, and within an hour I’m ready to work out. I’m going harder than ever, and I only take the rare Tylenol now for headaches, never for joint pain. Naked Leaf CBD Daily Drops [1000 mg CBD per 10 ml] get me through my daily routine and have helped a great deal in getting a restful night of sleep”.

Parry’s conversion made him an evangelist for CBD to his friends and family—and it opened his eyes to a substantial business opportunity that’s helping him transform ANC. The company has become a full-blown CBD distributor, delivering products from 17 different brands to thousands of stores across the United States. It was an easy business extension since ANC’s trucks and warehouses were already distributing magazines and a wide array of general merchandise products to more than 55,000 retail locations across the country. The growth is providing a much-needed offset to the publishing industry’s revenue declines.

How does ANC decide which products deserve distribution? Parry says the company only carries those that come with a Certificate Of Analysis (COA), documentation from an accredited laboratory that shows the quantity of various cannabinoids in a product. This ensures consistency and safety across the range of wellness products that ANC offers, which includes lotions, face creams, massage oils, lip balms, candles, and tinctures for both humans and pets. If you find organic, full-spectrum, broad-spectrum or isolate products at your local Albertsons, you have ANC to thank.

Is CBD a wonder drug? No, Parry said, but it’s become an essential part of a self-care routine that helps him function at a high level. “By eating right, avoiding excess, and taking CBD,” he told us, “I can work out hard. And when I can work out hard, I can manage the stress of travel and leadership.”