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V O L . X X I N O. X X I I I O C T O B E R 5 , 2 0 1 5 26 B enjamin Shaw focuses calmly and steadily on his visitor during a recent interview at his Portland offi ce. e only "tell" that there's intensity behind his quiet demeanor is the rhythmic shaking of his legs under the table. After all, the CEO of Vets First Choice, an online pharmacy and prescription-management company for veterinarians and their pet-owner clients, has built a $45 million company in just fi ve years. "Ben is an entrepreneur through and through," says Kevin Bitterman, a partner at Polaris Partners in Cambridge, Mass. He's also an investor in and board member of Vets First Choice. "He's a big thinker, a visionary and is bold. He's one of the hardest-working CEOs I've ever seen. He sees pro- found opportunity to disrupt an industry." P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY The disruptor Benjamin Shaw's online vet service bites into traditional distribution B Y L o r i V a l i g r a We defied a lot of odds out of the gate. Benjamin Shaw CEO Vets First Choice, Portland Vets First Choice 7 Custom House St., Portland CEO: Benjamin Shaw Founded: 2010 Employees: More than 200 by end of 2015 Business: Online veterinary and prescription- management services Revenue (2014): $45 million Investment to date: $74.5 million in five rounds from more than 40 investors Contact: vetsfirstchoice.com | (888)280-2221 FOLLOW U S @M BEVENTS #OTREastport15 For more information, or to register, visit www.mainebiz.biz/OTREastport or call 207.761.8379 x341 Get out from behind your desk to meet and mingle with other business execs at a special reception for Mainebiz readers. Mainebiz is coming to six new regions of the state to continue facilitating face-to-face networking for the business community. admission is free complimentary hors d'oeuvres cash bar R E G I O N A L S P O N S O R P R E S E N T I N G S P O N S O R 5–7pm | Eastport Port Authority Eastport, Oct. 8 Benjamin Shaw, CEO of Vets First Choice, says the company defi ed odds by breaking through a well-established network of industry practices among manufacturers and distributors.