Discover how to source quality ingredients for your supplement line with today’s guest, Rob Shaw. Rob has worked in the supplement industry since 1996 and started his import/export distribution company, Blue Star Corp, in 2019. Learn what to look for in an ingredient’s Certificate of Analysis and what to ask manufacturers before you agree to work with them.
If you are starting a supplement product, check out our Supplement Label Design guide.
LISTEN ON SPOTIFY: How to Source Quality Ingredients for Your Supplement Line
Or listen on Amazon Music, Apple Podcasts, Pandora, IHeartRadio.
WATCH ON YOUTUBE: How to Source Quality Ingredients for Your Supplement Line
Rob Shaw
President & CEO
Blue Star Corp
Rob started his journey in the supplement industry in April of 1996 working as a salesclerk for a
Great Earth Vitamin store in Southern California. After he graduated college in 1999 majoring in
Business Administration. In May of 2002 he purchased the Great Earth Vitamin store where he
worked for almost 4 years. In 2003 he acquired another Great Earth Store and then 1 more a
year later. At the beginning of the Great Recession in 2006, he realized that life in Southern
California was not looking so good due to high taxes and economic turbulence that he foresaw,
so he sold 1 store and closed the other 2, sold his house and moved to Las Vegas in 2007.
He worked as a store manager for a local vitamin store until 2009 and decided to take a chance
on owning another Vitamin Store. He purchased a popular store named “Raw Health” located in
Southwest Las Vegas. It was around 2014 when he noticed how Amazon.com was quickly
taking the internet by storm with their predatorial pricing policies on supplements, so he decided
to sell Raw Health after a 5-year run. In early 2015 he was recruited by NASCO and brought on
as the COO. Less than 6 months later, he was promoted to CEO where he held the position for
3 years. NASCO was forced to restructure their business model due to economic turbulence
that the middle east was facing and considering that most of the NASCO income was being
generated in that region, the restructuring process had to begin.
Rob inquired at many supplement companies in Las Vegas seeking employment, but to no
avail. It was in 2019 when he moved to Ontario California to become the sales manager for an
importer and distributor of herbal dietary supplement ingredients. After 3 months they told him
they couldn’t afford him any longer and gave him a recommendation to work at one of their
competitors. He decided to try to work at the recommended competitor, but once he realized
they had only hired him to milk any information they could get out of him, he decided to create
Blue Star Corporation. After working at the competitor’s company for 3 months, they let him go.
But Rob instinctively knew that this was coming so he began the process to go back in business
for himself after talking to a stranger who prophesied about Rob being very successful in his
next business journey as a business owner.
Since August of 2019, Rob has built a very successful import/export distribution company. Blue
Star Corp thrives successfully due to business relationships that extend all over the globe and
Blue Star Corp has been constructing commanding growth record in the supply chain sector.
With a small staff and multiple people on a 1090 tax schedule, it helps keep the costs down so
Blue Star Corp can compete with the big companies who have more experience and possibly
better financial ties to certain ingredient manufacturers.
Let’s Stay in Touch!
Crème de Mint’s Socials –
Starting your product business? Crème de Mint, our CPG branding agency knows how to create compelling, craveworthy designs that can help your brand stand out! Book a call today to chat with us about your packaging design.
Check out our blog or join our newsletter for more resources. Learn more with our Supplement Label Design guide.