Starting a Gas Station Business

Do you want to start a gas station business? If YES, here is a complete guide to
starting a gas station business with NO money and no experience.
Okay, so we have provided you an in-depth sample gas station business plan template.
We also took it further by analyzing and drafting a sample gas station marketing plan
backed up by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for gas station businesses. In this article,
we will be considering all the requirements for starting a gas station business. So put on
your entrepreneurial hat and let’s proceed.
Why Start a Gas Station Business?
Starting a gas station or filling station or petroleum station as it is typically called in some
parts of the world is indeed one of the means of owning a business portfolio in the oil and
gas industry. This is for sure one business that has made a lot of people millionaires or
even billionaires. It is true that playing in the gas industry might require loads of funds, but
in the long run it sure does pay.
Choosing to start a gas station business also means that you have plans in place already.
Plans like how you intend to raise the startup capital, get the required license and permits,
how you can compete in the market, how you intend to make your business known to the
people, as well as other important factors that must not be overlooked.
Before launching this type of business, it will pay you to carry out your market research,
economic and cost analysis and of course feasibility studies. If you get things right before
launching your gas station business, it will not take you long before you break even and
start smiling to the bank.
So, if you have made up your mind to start your own gas station business, all you need to
do is read this article and you will be well equipped.

Starting a Gas Station Business – A Complete Guide

 Industry Overview

A gas station which is also called a petrol station, filling station, fueling station or service
station is a business facility which retails gasoline (petrol), diesel and lubricants for motor
vehicles. Gas stations offer one of three types of service to their customers: full service,
minimum service or self-service.
A full-service gas station has attendants that operate the pumps, often wipes the
windshield and sometimes checks the vehicle’s oil level and tire pressure, then collects
payment and perhaps a small tip, while a minimum service gas station has attendants that
operate only the pumps. This is often required due to laws in some cities that prohibits
customers from operating the pumps themselves.
In self-service gas stations, the customer performs all the required service. Instructions
informing the customer of filling procedures and cautions are clearly displayed on each
pump. Customers are expected to go to the store or go to a booth to give payment to an
employee of the station, and lastly, we have the unmanned gas station that makes use of
card-lock (or pay-at-the-pump) system, these gas station are completely unmanned.
The Gas Station industry over the years has experienced a modest amount of volatility. As
a matter of fact, as more Americans acquire automobiles, the total vehicle miles increase
and this gives room to increase in the demand of gasoline. So also, as per capita
disposable income continues to increase, some automobile owners would choose to go for
premium fuel, which is priced higher than lower-octane fuel.
Just like other industries, the Gas Stations industry has also experienced its fair share of
ups and downs over the last five years. As a result of strengthening domestic economy and
improvement in employment over the early part of the last five years, the Gas Station
Industry also experienced improvement in performance.
The Gas Station industry is indeed a very large industry and pretty much thriving in all the
parts of the world. Statistics has it that in the United States of America alone, there are
about 10,719 licensed Gas Station businesses responsible for employing about 120,226
employees and the industry rakes in a whooping sum of $106bn annually.
The major breakthrough in the gas station industry came as a result of the increase in
automobile ownership which can be traced to Henry Ford when he started to sell
automobiles that the middle class could afford.
In a bid to stay afloat in the highly competitive gas station industry, owners of gas stations
now go the extra mile to ensure that they make their facility welcoming and conducive for
customers. Gas stations now have vulcanizing services, car wash, convenience stores,
coffee bars, snack bars and cigar lounge within their facility so as to leverage on the
opportunities around them to generate more income.
The gas station business will continue to blossom because people will always go to gas
stations to fuel their vehicles, purchase kerosene and cooking gas or any other related
services offered by gas stations. Despite the fact that the industry seems over-saturated,
there is still room big enough to accommodate aspiring entrepreneurs who intend opening
their own gas stations in the United States of America.
The gas station industry can be said to be a competitive industry, but it does not in any way
stop entrepreneurs who are financially capable to still make headway in the industry. It is
indeed a profitable industry especially when the business is well located. No doubt, busy
highways and busy cities with growing population are highly suitable for a gas station. The
catch is that if there are automobile users in any city, then that city would have need for a
gas station.

Starting a Gas Station Business – Market Research and Feasibility Studies

 Demographics and Psychographics

The demographic and psychographic composition of those who need the products and
services offered by gas stations cut across all genders; male and female, people from
different religion and ethnicity, people with different financial means and businesses; hence
the demographic composition for a gas station business is all encompassing.
The truth is that, when it comes to retailing gasoline, diesel, cooking gas, kerosene and the
likes, there is indeed a wide range of available customers. In essence, your target market
can’t be restricted to just a group of people or organization, but all those who own vehicles,
power generating sets, gas cookers, ovens, steam boilers and so forth.
So, if you are thinking of opening your own gas station business then you should make
your target demographics all encompassing. It should include everyone that owns
automobiles; celebrities, public figures, politicians, business executives, students, sports
men and women, young adults, teenagers, corporate organizations, haulage companies,
transport companies, taxi drivers, schools and a host of others that commute along the
road where your gas station will be located.
List of Niche ideas Within the Gas Station Business That You Can sSpecialize in
It is important to state that there is no known niche area when it comes to gas station
business. Every player in this line of business is usually involved in dispensing
nonautomotive fuel and retailing automotive fuels (e.g. diesel fuel and gasoline).
On the other hand, it is important to state that most gas stations also engage in automotive
services (e.g. repairs, car washes and general parts), selling automotive-related goods,
providing automotive-repair services, providing wheel alignment, wheel balancing,
vulcanizing services and retailing of groceries and soft drinks.
The Level of Competition in the Gas Station Business
The competition that exists in the gas station industry is subject to the location that you
choose to open your gas station. The truth is that if your gas station is the only gas station
within reasonable miles (parameters), then you won’t have any direct competition.
On the other hand, if you are just starting out, then you must be ready to compete with
multinational oil and gas companies that also operate gas stations all across the globe. So,
it will be right to say the competition in the gas station line of business is tough.
The truth is that no matter the level of competition in an industry, if you brand and promote
your products or business properly, you will always make headway in the industry. Just
ensure you dispense the correct quantity and good quality products per time and your
customer services is top notch.
But over and above, there are several gas stations scattered all around the United States.
So, if you choose to start your own gas station business in the United States, you will
definitely meet stiff competition. Besides, there are larger gas station brands such as Shell
Gas Station, Chevron Gas Station, Exxon Gas Station, Mobil Gas Station, Elf and Total
Gas Station that determine the trends in the industry and you should be ready to compete
with them for customers.
List of Well – Known Brands in the Gas Retailing Industry
In every industry, there are always brands that perform better or are better regarded by
customers and the general public than others. Some of these brands are those that have
been in the industry for a long time and have become known to people.
These are some of the leading gas stations/brands in the United States of America and in
the globe;
  Shell Gas Station
 Chevron Gas Station
 Exxon Gas Station
 Mobil Gas Station
 Elf Gas Station
 Total Gas Station
 BP Petrol Station
 Esso Petrol Station
 Husky Gas Station
 Puma Energy service station
 Caltex Service Station
 Eni Gas Station
 Agip Gas Station
 Sunoco Gas Station
 Marathon Gas Station
 Speedway Gas Station
 Clean Energy – Fremont Pilot Gas Station
 Gas Stations USA Realty
 Murphy USA Gas Station

Economic Analysis
Gas station business is not a green business, as a matter of fact; you will come across
several gas stations when you drive along any road in the United States. So, if you are
mapping out your economic analysis, you should carry out thorough market survey and
costing of the required amount needed for leasing/renting a landed property along a major
road with government approval for a gas station and the amount needed to purchase the
needed gas station equipment and tools, and the amount needed for the purchase of
gasoline, diesels, kerosene and cooking gas supplies and also the running cost of the
business.
Over and above, when it comes to starting a medium scale gas station company, you
should be prepared to either rent or lease a standard and centralized facility along a major
road or expressway with good human and vehicular traffic. This is going to be one of the
areas where you are expected to spend the bulk of startup capital.
Other areas are the amount required in setting up a full-service state of the art gas station
facility with the capacity to carry out automotive services (e.g. repairs, car washes and
general parts), Nonautomotive fuel, retailing automotive fuels (e.g. diesel fuel and
gasoline), retailing cooking gas, selling automotive-related goods, providing automotive-
repair services, providing wheel alignment, wheel balancing and vulcanizing services,
retailing of groceries and soft drinks et al, the scale/size of the business and also in paying
your employees at least for the first three months of starting the business.
Starting Your Gas Station Business from Scratch vs Buying a Franchise
If you are looking towards starting a gas station business, it will pay you to purchase the
franchise of a successful gas station. This is because people usually look for brand names
when buying gasoline products. But it is important to state that the franchise of gas station
does not come cheap, this is why aspiring entrepreneurs choose to start their own gas
stations from the scratch.
Starting a gas station business from the scratch can be stressful, but it will give you the
opportunity to build your own brand and perhaps compete at the national level via
franchising. Please note that most of the big and successful gas stations around started
from the scratch and they were able to build a solid business brand.
Possible Threats and Challenges You Will Face When Starting a Gas Station
Business
If you decide to start your own gas station business today, one of the major challenges you
are likely going to face is the presence of well-established gas stations within the location
where you have your gas station. The only way to avoid this challenge is to create your
own market.
Some other challenges and threats that you are likely going to face is economic downturn;
if the economy is in bad shape. Unfavorable international oil prices and government
policies can also hamper the growth of your gas station especially when they increase the
pump price of gasoline. There is nothing you can do as regard these threats and
challenges other than to stay positive that things will work well for you.
Starting a Gas Station Business – Legal Matters

 Best legal entity to use for a gas station

When considering starting a gas station business, the legal entity you choose will go a long
way to determine how big the business can grow; some gas station business design their
business for the neighborhood market, some for city wide market, while others for national
and international market via franchising.
You have the option of either choosing a general partnership, limited liability Company
which is commonly called an LLC, or a sole proprietorship for a business such as gas
station. If your intention is to grow the business and have chains of gas stations all across
the United States of America and other countries of the world via franchising, then
choosing sole proprietor is not an option for you. Limited Liability Company, LLC or even
general partnership will cut it for you.
Setting up an LLC protects you from personal liability. If anything goes wrong in the
business, it is only the money that you invested into the limited liability company that will be
at risk. Limited liability companies are simpler and more flexible to operate and you don’t
need a board of directors, shareholders meetings and other managerial formalities.
These are some of the factors you should consider before choosing a legal entity for your
gas station business; limitation of personal liability, ease of transferability, admission of
new owners, investors’ expectation and of course taxes. You can start this type of business
as limited liability company (LLC) and in future convert it to a ‘C’ corporation or an ‘S’
corporation especially when you have the plans of going public.
Upgrading to a ‘C’ corporation or ‘S’ corporation will give you the opportunity to grow your
gas station business so as to compete with major players in the industry; you will be able to
generate capital from venture capital firms, you will enjoy separate tax structure, and you
can easily transfer ownership of the company; you will enjoy flexibility in ownership and in
your management structures.
Insurance Policies
In the United States and in most countries of the world, you can’t operate a business
without having some of the basic insurance policy covers that are required by the industry
you want to operate from. So, it is important to create a budget for insurance and perhaps
consult an insurance broker to guide you in choosing the best and most appropriate
insurance policies for your gas station business.
Here are some of the basic insurance covers that you should consider purchasing if you
want to start your own gas station business in the United States of America;

 General insurance
 Health insurance
 Liability insurance
 Fire Insurance
 Risk Insurance
 Workers compensation
 Overhead expense disability insurance
 Business owner’s policy group insurance
 Payment protection insurance

Intellectual Property Protection / Trademark

If you are considering starting your own gas station business, usually you may not have
any need to file for intellectual property protection/trademark. This is so because the nature
of the business makes it possible for you to successful run the business without having any
cause to challenge anybody in court for illegally making use of your company’s intellectual
properties.
Is Professional Certification Needed to Run a Gas Station Business?
If you intend starting a gas station business in the United States of America, you are
strongly encouraged to pursue professional certifications. These are some of the
certifications you can work towards achieving if you want to run your own gas station
business;

 UST Training and Certification / Class A/B and C Operator Certification

 HSE Certifications
 API WorkSafe Certification

Please note that all gas stations in the United States of America are mandated to obtain
the appropriate certification, license and permits before they can legally operate in the
United States of America and of course in most countries of the world.
List of Legal Documents You Need to Run a Gas Station Business
The essence of having the necessary documentation in place before launching a business
in the United States of America cannot be overemphasized. It is a fact that you cannot
successfully run any business in the United States without the proper documentations.
These are some of the basic legal documents that you are expected to have in place if you
want to legally run your own gas station business in the United States of America;

 Certificate of Incorporation
 Business License
 Tax Payer’s ID/Tax Identification Number
 Business Plan
 Non – disclosure Agreement
 Motor Fuels Retail Outlet License
 Fire Certificate
 Commercial Vehicle Operator’s Registration for gasoline tankers
 Appropriate driver’s licenses for drivers
 Assistant’s licenses for assistants
 Health inspection Certificate
 Proof of ownership, proper identification and vehicle license
 Copy of license for the service support facility and/or a recent inspection report
 Health inspection Certificate
 Copy of license for the service support facility and/or a recent inspection report
 Employee Handbook
 Employment Agreement (offer letters)
 Operating Agreement for LLCs
 Insurance Policy
 Online Terms of Use (if you also operate online)
 Online Privacy Policy Document (basically for online payment portal)
 Company Bylaws
 Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
 Building License
 Franchise or Trademark License (optional)

Financing Your Gas Station Business

When it comes to financing a business, one of the major factors that you should consider is
to write a good business plan. If you have a good and workable business plan document in
place, you may not have to labor yourself before convincing your bank, investors and your
friends to invest in your business.
Here are some of the options you can explore when sourcing for start-up capital for your
gas station business;

 Raising money from personal savings and sale of personal stocks and properties
 Raising money from investors and business partners
 Sell shares to interested investors
 Applying for loan from your bank/banks
  Pitching your business idea and applying for business grants and seed funding from
donor organizations and angel investors
 Source for soft loans from your family members and your friends.

Choosing a Suitable Location for a Gas Station Business

Gas stations and most related businesses are part of the human lifestyle hence it must be
situated in a good location; a location that is prone to both human and vehicular traffic if
indeed you want to maximize profit from the business. This is why you can only find gas
station along major roads and highways.
These are some of the key factors that you should consider before choosing a location for
your gas station;

 The demography of the location

 The demand for the products and complimentary services offered by gas stations in
the location
 The number of vehicles and vehicle owners in the location
 The purchasing power of the residence of the location
 Accessibility of the location
 The number of gas stations in the location
 The local laws and regulations in the community/state
 Traffic, parking and security et al

Starting a Gas Station Business – Technical & Manpower Details

On the average, the special technology or equipment needed to run this type of business
are gasoline dispensing pumps, gasoline tankers, gasoline storage tankers, fire alarm,
CCTV cameras, computers and receipt issuing machines, sound system (for playing
music), Point of Sale Machines (POS Machines), internet facility, telephone, fax machine
and office furniture (chairs, tables, and shelves) amongst others and all these can be
gotten as fairly used.
When it comes to hiring employees for a standard gasoline station that also offer other
complimentary services, you should make plans to hire a competent Chief Executive
Officer/President (you can occupy this role), Gas Station Manager, Accountant/Cashier,
Human Resource and Admin Manager, Pump Attendant, Convenience Store, Coffee Café,
Snacks Bar, Cigar Lounge Manager, Vulcanizing Services, Wheel Balancing, Wheel
Alignment and Automobile Repairs and Maintenance Manager, Carwash Manager, Tanker
Drivers and Security Guard. These are some of the key employees that you can work with.
On the average, you will need a minimum of 10 to 15 key staff members to run a small
scale but standard gas station business.
The Business Services Process Involved in a Gasoline Station Business
Generally, when people cum vehicles stop by a gas station, they go straight ahead to make
payment and dispense gasoline in their tank especially if it is a self – service gas station. If
the gas pumps are manned by dispensers/attendants, then they will inform the attendants
of the amount of gasoline or any product they want to purchase and they will have it
dispensed in their gasoline tank.
Since all gas stations require supply of products the retail, there are no hard and fast rule
about getting supplies. Basically, it is the duty of the merchandise manager to help the
organization purchase gasoline, diesels, kerosene and cooking gas et al.
They go out there to source for good purchasing deals and they also ensure that they do
not only purchase at the right prices that will guarantee them good profits, but also ensure
that they purchase products that are of high quality. Once the products are bought, they
are properly filled into the underground tank and ready for dispensing.

Starting a Gas Station Business – The Marketing Plan

 Marketing ideas and strategies

Running a business requires that you should be proactive when it comes to marketing your
goods or services. If you choose to launch a gas station business, then you must go all out
to employ strategies that will help you attract customers or else you will likely struggle with
the business because there are well-known brands determining the market direction for the
gas station industry.
These are some of the marketing ideas and strategies that you can adopt for your gas
station business;

 Introduce your gas station by sending introductory letters alongside your brochure to
everyone that owns automobiles; celebrities, public figures, politicians, business
executives, students, sports men and women, young adults, teenagers, corporate
organizations, haulage companies, transport companies, taxi drivers, schools and a
host of others that commutes along the road where your gas station will be located.
 Advertise on the internet on blogs and forums, and also on social media like Twitter,
Facebook, LinkedIn to get your message across, so that those on the social media
or those who read blogs can know where to go when they need to refill their tanks
 Create a basic website for your business so as to give your business an online
presence
 Directly market your products.
 Engage in road show in targeted communities from time to time to promote your
business/services
 Join local gas station owners association for industry trends and tips
 Provide discount days for your customers
 Advertise our business in community based newspapers, local TV and radio stations
 List your business on yellow pages ads (local directories)
 Encourage the use of word of mouth marketing (referrals)

Factors That Will Help You Get the Right Product Pricing
When it comes to a business such as gas station, it will be right to say that the business
cum prices is highly regulated. There is always a benchmark that is set by the Federal
government when it comes to the pump price of products such as gasoline, diesel and
kerosene.
So there is little you can do to sell your products far below the industry’s average. All you
need to do is to ensure that your merchandise manager gets supply of gasoline, diesel and
kerosene directly from main marketers not third party suppliers and also ensure that you
own your own petroleum tankers. With that, you can be able to get pricing for your products
right.
Another key factor that will help you sell your products and offer your services at the right
price is to ensure that you cut operational cost to the barest minimum, channel your efforts
towards marketing and promoting your brand name. Aside from the fact that this strategy
will help you save cost, it will also help you get the right pricing for your products.
You can also try as much as possible to work with independent contractors and marketers;
with that, it will help you save cost for paying sales and marketing executives.
Strategies to Boost Your Brand Awareness and Create Your Corporate Identity
If your intention of starting a gas station business is to grow the business beyond the city
where you are going to be operating from to become a national and international brand by
opening chains of gas stations and franchising, then you must be ready to spend money on
promotion and advertisement of your brand.
No matter the industry you belong to, the truth is that the market is dynamic and it requires
consistent brand awareness and brand boosting cum promotion to continue to appeal to
your target market. Here are the platforms you can leverage on to boost your brand
awareness and create corporate identity for your gas station business;

 Place adverts on both print and electronic media platforms

 Sponsor relevant community based events/programs
 Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook,
Twitter, YouTube, Google + et al to promote your products and services
 Install your billboards in strategic locations all around your city or state
 Engage in roadshow from time to time in targeted neighborhoods to create
awareness of your gas station
 Distribute your fliers and handbills in target areas
 Contact everyone that owns automobiles; celebrities, public figures, politicians,
business executives, students, sports men and women, young adults, teenagers,
corporate organizations, haulage companies, transport companies, taxi drivers,
schools and a host of others that commute along the road where your gas station
will be located informing them about your gas station and the products and services
you offer
 List your gas station in local directories/yellow pages
 Advertise your gas station in your official website and employ strategies that will
help you pull traffic to the site.
 Position our Flexi Banners at strategic positions in the location where your gas
station is located.
 Ensure that all your staff members wear your branded shirts and all your vehicles
and trucks/vans are well branded with your company logo et al.

Creating a Suppliers/Distribution Network for your Gas Station

In order to successfully run a gas station business, you must establish good business
relationship with gasoline depot and petroleum product marketers. Of course, you would
need steady supply of gasoline, diesel and kerosene et al from gasoline depots and
petroleum main marketers in order to remain in business.
Just ensure that you enter into an agreement with suppliers that will enable your gas
station not to run out of products per time. The truth is that if proper arrangements are not
put in place in – terms of supply of petroleum products, there will be occasions when you
will run out of products and that will be bad for your business especially as you are trying to
build a robust and loyal clientele base.

A Sample Gas Station Business Plan Template

Are you about starting a gas station with convenience store? If YES, here is a
complete sample gas station business plan template & (petrol filling station)
feasibility study you can use for FREE.
Okay, so we have considered all the requirements for starting a gas station. We also took it
further by analyzing and drafting a sample gas station marketing plan template backed up
by actionable guerrilla marketing ideas for gas stations. So let’s proceed to the business
planning section.
Starting a gas station or filling station or petroleum station as it is typically called in some
parts of the world is indeed one of the means of owning a business portfolio in the oil and
gas industry. This is for sure one business that has made a lot of people millionaires or
even billionaires. It is true that playing in the gas industry might require loads of funds, but
in the long run it sure does pay.
What Does It Take to Start a Gas Station Successfully?
If you are looking to start a gas station business, the care has to be taken in deciding on
the area you want to delve into. You will also be required to carry out various market
researches. Why is this important, you may ask? This is especially important because of
the level of knowledge about the trade that you will be required to garner. Knowledge is
indeed very important in the gas industry.
Yet another thing that you would have to take really seriously is the writing of a business
plan. The business plan is one manuscript that has continued to be important. This is
because it serves as a good blueprint on top which every business should be built. On the
other hand, not everyone knows how to write a business plan. This is because of the
technicality which is involved in the activity.
On the other hand, there are loads of business experts who are specialized in the writing of
business plans. They do this for some fee. If you think that you do not want to part with
your money, then you may want to look at using an existing business plan template to
produce yours.
However, be sure to have loads of information about your business. Some of the things
that should be contained in a business plan includes: your sales forecast, the structure
upon which you plan to build your business, your marketing strategies, how you plan to
raise funds for your business and a host of other things.
That said now here is a sample gas station business plan;
A Sample Gas Station Business Plan Template
 Gas Station Business Overview

A gas station which also called a petrol station, filling station, fueling station, or service
station is a business facility which retails gasoline (petrol), diesel and lubricants for motor
vehicles. Gas stations offer one of three types of service to their customers: full service,
minimum service or self-service.
A full service gas station has attendants who operates the pumps, often wipes the
windshield, and sometimes checks the vehicle’s oil level and tire pressure, then collects
payment and perhaps a small tip and a minimum service gas station has attendants that
operates the pumps. This is often required due to laws in some cities that prohibit
customers from operating the pumps themselves.
While in self – service gas stations the customer performs all required service. Instructions
informing the customer of filling procedures and cautions are clearly displayed on each
pump. Customers are expected to go to the store or go to a booth to give payment to an
employee of the station and lastly we have the unmanned gas station that make use of
card – lock (or pay-at-the-pump) system, these gas station are completely unmanned.
The Gas Stations industry over the years has experienced a modest amount of volatility.
As a matter of fact, as more Americans acquire automobiles, the total vehicle miles
increased and this gives room to increase in the demand of gasoline. So also, as per capita
disposable income continued to increase, some automobile owners would choose to go for
premium fuel, which is priced higher than lower-octane fuel.
Just like other industry, the Gas Stations industry has also experienced its fair share of ups
and downs over the last five years. As a result of strengthening domestic economy and
improvement in employment over the early part of the last five years, the Gas Station
Industry also experienced improvement in performance.
The Gas Station industry is indeed a very large industry and pretty much thriving in all the
parts of the world. Statistics has it that in the United States of America alone, there are
about 10,719 licensed Gas Station businesses responsible for employing about
120,226employees and the industry rakes in a whooping sum of $106bn annually.
The major breakthrough in the gas station industry came as a result of the increase in
automobile ownership which can be attributed to Henry Ford when he started to sell
automobiles that the middle class could afford resulted. The gas industry therefore,
experienced a great boom that has continued to affect nearly all economies of the world.
In the bid to stay afloat in the highly competitive gas station industry, owners of gas
stations now go the extra mile to ensure that they make their facility welcoming and
conducive for customers. Gas stations now have vulcanizing services, car wash,
convenience stores, coffee bars, snack bars, and cigar lounge within their facility so as to
leverage on the opportunities around them to generate more income.
Although the gas station industry can be said to be a competitive industry, but it does not in
any way stop entrepreneurs who are creative and financially capable to still make headway
in the industry. It is indeed a profitable industry especially when the business is well
located. No doubt busy highways and busy cities with growing population is highly suitable
for gas stations. The catch is that if there are automobile users in any city, then the city
would have need for a gas station.

Gas Station Business Plan – Executive Summary

Sunny Star® Gas Station is a fully registered and licensed standard gas station that will be
located along a busy highway in Miami – Florida, U.S. Our chains of gas stations that will
be scattered all around major cities in the United States of America will adopt full service,
minimum service and self-service as it suits the location
Our basic services and products offering to our highly esteemed customers as a standard
gas station are retailing of gasoline (petrol), diesel and lubricants for motor vehicles. We
will make sure that we give our consumers nothing short of the very best. We will also run
a convenience store, car wash, vulcanizing services, wheel balancing services, wheel
alignment services and other related automobile repair services.
We are quite aware that in order to become the number one choice for automobile owners
who ply the route where our gas stations will be located, we must continue to make our gas
station welcoming, easy to operate and that is exactly what we will do.
We are open to the use of latest technology in the gas station industry. No doubt our
excellent customer service and the range of additional complementary services we offer
will position us to become one of the most preferred gas stations in Miami – Florida.
At Sunny Star® Gas Station, we are passionate in the pursuit of excellence and financial
success with uncompromising services and integrity. We are in the industry to make a
positive mark. We are quite optimistic that our values and quality of products and service
offering will help us drive our gas station business to enviable heights and also help us
attract the numbers of clients that will make the business highly profitable. We are a
company that will be dedicated to establishing and maintaining the best practices as it
relates to the gas station industry.
Sunny Star® Gas Stations will ensure that all our customers are given first class treatment
whenever they visit our gas stations. Customer care is one of the tools that we plan to have
in order to charm our clients and turn them to loyalists.
We have a CRM software that will enable us manage a one on one relationship with our
customers no matter how large the numbers of our customer base may grow to. We will
ensure that we get our customers involved when making some business decisions that will
directly or indirectly affect them.
Sunny Star® Gas Stations is owned and managed by Mr. Craig McCarthy and family. The
business will be financed by the Mr. Craig McCarthy family and they will be actively
involved in the day to day operation of the Gas stations. Mr. Craig McCarthy has a B.Sc. in
Business Administration and Management and he has well over 15 years of experience in
the service industry.

 Our Products and Services

Sunny Star® Gas Station is a fully registered and licensed standard gas station that is
positioned in the gas station industry in the United States of America to maximize profits.
Aside from the point that we will be retailing gasoline and diesel, we will also engage in
other complimentary services that will help us maximize profits.
We have designed products and services that will not only help to meet the demands of the
people, but also to put good money in our pockets. These are the products and services
that will be made available to our customers;

 Gas
 Diesel
 Automotive services (e.g. repairs, car washes and general parts)
 Nonautomotive fuel
 Retailing automotive fuels (e.g. diesel fuel and gasoline)
 Selling automotive-related goods
 Providing automotive-repair services
 Providing Wheel Alignment, Wheel Balancing and Vulcanizing Services
 Retailing of Groceries and soft drinks et al

Our Vision Statement

Our Vision is to operate chains of gas stations in major cities in the United States of
America.

 Our Mission Statement

Our mission is to develop a highly successful and profitable chains of gas station business
with state of the art facility and latest technology; a business that will not only meet the
needs of her clients but also supersede their expectations.

 Our Business Structure

Sunny Star® Gas Stations is set to become one of the leading gas station business in the
whole of Florida and other cities where our chains of gas stations will be located hence the
need for us to build a solid business foundation and business structure that will enable us
achieve our aims and objectives.
Excellent customer service and efficiency are top priority for us which is why we will ensure
that we look for applicants that match the picture of the business who want to build before
hiring them. Although we will provide trainings in areas such as excellent customers
services et al, but we will ensure that we shortlist applicants that are customer centric.
In essence, we want to build a team, a dedicated workforce that will work together to help
the organization achieve its set targets. We will not only hire attendants that will help
supervise our gas stations and attend to customers need when they patronize our services,
but we will also hire employees that will manage our convenience store, cash wash, coffee
café, cigar lounge, snacks bar, vulcanizing services, wheel balancing, wheel alignment and
other automobile repair and maintenance services.
Sunny Star® Gas Stations will employ customer centric and skilled people to occupy the
following position;
  Chief Executive Officer
 Gas Station Manager
 Accountant / Cashier
 Human Resource and Admin Manager
 Pump Attendant
 Convenience Store, Coffee Café, Snacks Bar, Cigar Lounge Manager
 Vulcanizing Services, Wheel Balancing, Wheel Alignment and Automobile Repairs
and Maintenance Manager
 Carwash Manager
 Security Guard

Roles and Responsibilities

Chief Executive Officer – CEO (Owner):

 Increases management’s effectiveness by recruiting, selecting, orienting, training,

coaching, counseling, and disciplining managers; communicating values, strategies,
and objectives; assigning accountabilities; planning, monitoring, and appraising job
results; developing incentives; developing a climate for offering information and
opinions; providing educational opportunities.
 Creating, communicating, and implementing the organization’s vision, mission, and
overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall
organization’s strategy.
 Responsible for fixing prices and signing business deals
 Responsible for providing direction for the business
 Creates, communicates, and implements the organization’s vision, mission, and
overall direction – i.e. leading the development and implementation of the overall
organization’s strategy.
 Responsible for signing checks and documents on behalf of the company
 Evaluates the success of the organization

Gas Station Manager

 Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of the gas station

 Map out strategy that will lead to efficiency amongst workers
 Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of workers
 Ensures operation of equipment by completing preventive maintenance
requirements; calling for repairs.
 Ensures that the gas station meets the expected safety and health standard at all
times.

Human Resources and Admin Manager

 Responsible for overseeing the smooth running of HR and administrative tasks for
the organization
 Updates job knowledge by participating in educational opportunities; reading
professional publications; maintaining personal networks; participating in
professional organizations.
  Enhances department and organization reputation by accepting ownership for
accomplishing new and different requests; exploring opportunities to add value to
job accomplishments.
 Defines job positions for recruitment and managing interviewing process
 Carrying out staff induction for new team members
 Responsible for training, evaluation and assessment of employees
 Oversee the smooth running of the daily office and factory activities.

Convenience Store, Coffee Café, Snacks Bar, and Cigar Lounge Manager

 Interact with customers; take orders for coffee and snacks.

 Responsible for preparing different flavor and style of coffee for customers
 Make lists of supplies in conjunction with the bar manager
 Ensure that each cup of coffee that leaves the kitchen is tailor made and meet the
request of each customer
 Responsible for quality control
 Assess customers’ needs and preferences and make recommendations
 Make lists of supplies in conjunction with the management
 Prepare inventory or purchase requisitions as needed to replenish supplies.
 Ensure that the assigned bar area is fully equipped with tools and products needed
for Mixing beverages and serving guests.
 Responsible for managing the cigar lounge
 Assess customers’ needs and preferences and make recommendations
 Make lists of supplies in conjunction with the management
 Prepare inventory or purchase requisitions as needed to re – stock the lounge.
 Clear ashtrays regularly
 Ensure that the assigned lounge area is fully equipped with tools and products
needed to by our clients

Accountant / Cashier

 Responsible for preparing financial reports, budgets, and financial statements for the
organization
 Provides managements with financial analyses, development budgets, and
accounting reports; analyzes financial feasibility for the most complex proposed
projects; conducts market research to forecast trends and business conditions.
 Responsible for financial forecasting and risks analysis.
 Performs cash management, general ledger accounting, and financial reporting
 Responsible for developing and managing financial systems and policies
 Responsible for administering payrolls
 Ensures compliance with taxation legislation
 Handles all financial transactions for the organization
 Serves as internal auditor for the organization

Pump Attendants

 Mans the various gas pump machines (in fully services gas stations)
  Assists customers as required by them especially on how to operate our gas pump
machines (in self – service gas stations)
 Provides change for customers
 Handle any other duty as assigned by the gas station manager

Vulcanizing Services, Wheel Balancing, Wheel Alignment and Automobile Repairs

and Maintenance Manager

 Responsible for running our vulcanizing services, wheel balancing services, wheel
alignment services and automobile repairs maintenance services
 Assists customers as required by them especially when it relates to choosing the
right lubricants to use and the right time to service their automobiles
 Handles any other duty as assigned by the gas station manager

Car wash Manager

 Wash and thoroughly clean cars (exterior car washing, interior cleaning, and waxing
services), trucks and bikes et al
 Handle and move objects, such as glasses, dish and bottles, using hands and arms.
 Cleans up after customers and clean work area.
 Clears ashtrays as and when required.
 Washes glassware and utensils after each use.
 Maintains a clean working area by sweeping, vacuuming, dusting, cleaning of glass
doors and windows, etc. if required.
 Ensures that toiletries and supplies don’t run out of stock
 Handle any other duty as assigned by the gas station manager.

Security Guards

 Ensures that the facility is secured at all time

 Controls traffic and organize parking
 Gives security tips to staff members from time to time
 Patrols around the building on a 24 hours basis
 Submits security reports weekly
 Handles any other duty as assigned by the gas station manager

Gas Station Business Plan – MARKET ANALYSIS

 Market Trends

There is hardly anyone who doesn’t have a need for gas, this is why it is really vital that
one keys into this industry. One of the trends in the gas station industry is that, in the bid to
stay afloat in the highly competitive gas station industry, owners of gas stations now go the
extra mile to ensure that they make their facility welcoming and conducive for customers.
Gas stations now have vulcanizing services, car wash, convenience stores, coffee bars,
snack bars, and cigar lounge within their facility so as to leverage on the opportunities
around them to generate more income.
Another trend is the adoption of the underground modular gas station model. The
underground modular gas station is a construction model for gas stations that was
developed and patented by U-Cont Oy Ltd which is based in Finland in 1993.
Subsequently the same system was used in Florida, USA. While the Above-ground
modular gas stations were built in the 1980s in Eastern Europe and especially in Russia
Federation, but they were not adopted in other parts of Europe because of the stations’
lack of safety in case of fire outbreak.

 Our Target Market

Before choosing a location for our gas station business, we conducted our feasibility
studies and market survey and we were able to identify the location that will benefit greatly
from our products and service offerings which is why we deiced to settle for Miami –
Florida.
Essentially those who will benefit from our service offering are automobile owners / drivers
and they are of course busy corporate executives, business owners, households, students
and travelers / visitors / tourist et al. They are the category of people that we intend
marketing our gas station services to.

 Our Competitive Advantage

From our recently concluded feasibility studies and market survey, we observed that there
are several gas station businesses spread all over the city of Miami – Florida, as a matter
of fact, there are about 3 standard gas stations close to same locations as ours. This goes
to show that there is stiffer competition in the industry.
Before launching our gas station we have critically studied the market and we know that we
have some form of competitive edge. Our competitive advantage is that we have a
standard gas station facility that offers additional complementary services that will definitely
help us attract and retain customers.
Another competitive advantage that we have is the vast experience of our management
team, we have people on board who are highly experienced and understands how to grow
business from the scratch to becoming a national phenomenon. So also the wide varieties
of other complimentary services and products that we offer and of course our excellent
customer service culture will definitely count as a strong strength for the business.
One thing is certain, we will ensure that in future, we open our gas stations in various cities
in the United States of America and also sell our franchise. With that our brand will be well
communicated and accepted nationally.
 Gas Station Business Plan – SALES AND MARKETING STRATEGY

 Marketing Strategy and Sales Strategy

The marketing strategy for Sunny Star® Gas Station is going to be driven basically by
making available standard and safe gasoline and diesel et al, excellent customer service
and provision of complimentary services. We will work hard to build a loyal customer base;
customers that will always patronize us over and over again and as well help us use word
of mouth publicity to get their friends and acquaintance to patronize us.
We want to drive sales via making available easy to use fuel pumping machines (for self –
services) et al. We are quite aware of how satisfied customers drive business growth
especially businesses like gas station which is why we will always ensure that our
customer service and facility are top notch.
Over and above, our unique selling proposition is that we have various complementary
service offerings such as convenience store, coffee café, snacks bar, cigar lounge,
vulcanizing services, wheel balancing, wheel alignment, carwash and automobile repairs
and maintenance services. We will also retail lubricants and other related products.
In view of that, we are going to adopt the following strategies to ensure that we do not only
attract customers but ensure that they become loyal customer. Part of the marketing and
sales strategies that we will adopt are;

 Introduce our gas station by sending introductory letters to residence, transport

companies, merchants and other stakeholders both in Miami and in other cities in
the State of Florida
 Open our gas station with a party so as to capture the attention of residence who
are our first targets
 Advertise our gas station on national dailies, local TV stations and local radio station
 Promote our gas station online via our official website and all available social media
platforms
 Continuously Improving the performance of our brands
 Hire the services of experts to make our brands the first choice for in Miami and
other cities where we will open a gas station
 Delivering consistent customer experiences to all our clients; making our first
impression count positively
 Make use of attractive hand bills to create awareness and also to give direction to
our gas station
 Adopt direct mailing coupon marketing approach
 Position our signage / flexi banners at strategic places
 Create a loyalty plan that will enable us reward our regular customers
 Engage on road shows within our neighborhood to create awareness for our
Laundromat business.

Sources of Income
Sunny Star® Gas Station is established with the aim of maximizing profit in the gas station
industry in the United States of America and we are going to go all the way to ensure that
we do all it takes to generate enough incomes from both our basic product and services
offerings and our complimentary services.
Sunny Star® Gas Station will generate income by offering the following services and
products;
  Gas
 Diesel
 Automotive services (e.g. repairs, car washes and general parts)
 Nonautomotive fuel
 Retailing automotive fuels (e.g. diesel fuel and gasoline)
 Selling automotive-related goods
 Providing automotive-repair services
 Providing Wheel Alignment, Wheel Balancing and Vulcanizing Services
 Retailing of Groceries and soft drinks et al

Sales Forecast
It is important to state that our sales forecast is based on the data gathered during our
feasibility study and also some of the assumptions readily available on the field with
reference to similar business in Miami – Florida. We know that we are well positioned and
we will definitely attract clients that will not only patronize our gas station but will also
patronize our complimentary services which will help increase our income.
Below is the sale projection for Sunny Star® Gas Station, it is based on the location of our
gas station and the type of services and products that we will be offering;

 First Year-: $500,000
 Second Year-: $1,500,000
 Third Year-: $2,500,000

N.B: This projection is done based on what is obtainable in the industry and with the
assumption that there won’t be any gas station offering same additional services like us
within 4.5 miles radius from our gas station facility.
Gas Station Business Plan – Publicity and Advertising Strategy
Despite the fact that our gas station is a standard one with a wide range of other
complimentary services and products that can favorably compete with other leading brands
in the gas station industry, we will still go ahead to intensify publicity for all our products
and brand. We are going to explore all available means to promote Sunny Star® Gas
Station.
Sunny Star® Gas Station has a long term plan of opening our gas stations in various
locations all around key cities in the United States of America which is why we will
deliberately build our brand to be well accepted in Miami – Florida before venturing out. As
a matter of fact, our publicity and advertising strategy is not solely for selling our products
and services but to also effectively communicate our brand.
Here are the platforms we intend leveraging on to promote and advertise Sunny Star® Gas
Station;

 Place adverts on both print (community based newspapers and magazines) and
electronic media platforms
 Sponsor relevant community programs
  Leverage on the internet and social media platforms like; Instagram, Facebook ,
twitter, et al to promote our brand
 Install our Bill Boards on strategic locations in Miami – Florida and all around major
cities in the United States of America
 Engage in road show from time to time in targeted communities
 Distribute our fliers and handbills in target areas
 Position our Flexi Banners at strategic positions in the location where we intend
getting customers to start patronizing our products and services.
 Ensure that all our staff members wear our customized clothes, and all our official
cars, fuel tankers and trucks are customized and well branded.

Our Pricing Strategy

It is the wish of all businesses to have a pricing system that will yield loads of profits for
them; as such we are working on having very competitive pricing. At Sunny Star® Gas
Station, our pricing system is going to be based on what is obtainable in the industry, we
don’t intend to charge more (except for premium and customized services) and we don’t
intend to charge less than our competitors are offering in Miami – Florida.
Be that as it may, the management of Sunny Star® Gas Station have put plans in place to
offer discounts for our complimentary services and products once in a while and also to
reward our loyal customers especially when they refer clients to us.
The prices of our products (snacks, cup of coffee, cigar, detergents et al) and services
(vulcanizing, wheel balancing, wheel alignment, car wash, and automobile repair and
services) will be same as what is obtainable in any part of the United States of America.

 Payment Options

At Sunny Star® Gas Station, our payment policy is all inclusive because we are quite
aware that different people prefer different payment options as it suits them. We will work
really hard to make sure that all our clients are given payment methods that suit them.
Here are the payment options that will be available in every of our outlets;

 Payment by cash
 Payment via Point of Sale (POS) Machine
 Payment via online bank transfer (online payment portal)
 Payment via Mobile money

In view of the above, we have chosen banking platforms that will help us achieve our
payment plans without any itches.
Start – Up Expenditure (Budget)
When it comes to starting a gas station business, loads of factors influences the amount
that will be required to successful launch the business. Factors like the location you intend
starting the business, the size of gas station business you want to start i.e. the number of
complimentary services you want to add to the business, and of course the state of the
economy as at when you intend start the business.
This is the key areas where we will spend our start – up capital on;

 The Total Fee for Registering the Business in Miami – Florida – $750.
 Legal expenses for obtaining licenses (Health department license and business
license) and permits (Fire department permit, Air and water pollution control permit,
and Sign permit et al) – $4,500.
 Marketing promotion expenses (2,000 flyers at $0.04 per copy) for the total amount
of $3,580.
 Cost for hiring Business Consultant – $2,000.
 Insurance (general liability, theft, workers’ compensation and property casualty)
coverage at a total premium – $30,800.
 Cost of accounting software, CRM software and Payroll Software – $3,000
 Cost for leasing facility for the gas station – $70,000.
 Cost for facility remodeling – $50,000.
 Other start-up expenses including stationery – $1000
 Phone and Utilities (gas, sewer, water and electric) deposits – ($3,500).
 Operational cost for the first 3 months (salaries of employees, payments of bills et
al) – $40,000
 The cost for Start-up inventory – $250,000
 Storage hardware (bins, utensil rack, shelves, glasses case) – $2,720
 The cost for Washer hook-up fees (sewer connection) – $800
 Cost for serving area equipment for coffee café and snacks bar ( glasses, flatware)
– $5,000
 Cost for fuel dispensing machines and equipment (automobile repair tools,
vulcanizing tools, and wheel alignment tools- $250,000
 The cost for the purchase of furniture and gadgets (Printers, Telephone, TVs, Sound
System, vacuum cleaner, tables and chairs et al) – $30,000.
 The cost of Launching a Website – $600
 The cost for our grand opening party – $5,500
 Miscellaneous supplies (cleaning supplies, soap, invoices for wash-and-fold,
bathroom supplies, etc.) – $10,000

We would need an estimate of $1 million to successfully launch our gas station business in
Miami – Florida. Please note that the startup cost is higher than the average startup cost
for a gas station business simply because we intend adding coffee café, snacks bar, cigar
lounge, car wash, convenience store and other complimentary services.
Generating Funding / Startup Capital for Sunny Star® Gas Station
Sunny Star® Gas Station is a family business that is owned and financed by Mr. Craig
McCarthy and family. They do not intend to welcome any external business partner which
is why he has decided to restrict the sourcing of the start – up capital to 3 major sources.
These are the areas we intend generating our start – up capital;

 Generate part of the start – up capital from personal savings and sell of stocks
 Source for soft loans from family members and friends
 Apply for loan from my Bank
N.B: We have been able to generate about $250,000 (Personal savings $200,000 and soft
loan from family members $50,000) and we are at the final stages of obtaining a loan
facility of $750,000 from our bank. All the papers and document have been signed and
submitted, the loan has been approved and any moment from now our account will be
credited with the amount.
 Gas Station Business Plan – Sustainability and Expansion Strategy
The future of a business lies in the numbers of loyal customers that they have the capacity
and competence of the employees, their investment strategy and the business structure. If
any of these factors is missing from a business (company), then it won’t be too long before
the business close shop.
Sunny Star® Gas Station will ensure that all the factors listed above are reinforced on a
regular basis, we will continue to improvise with our products and services and also we will
engage in continuous capacity building of our workforce. As a matter of fact, profit-sharing
arrangement will be made available to all our management staff and it will be based on
their performance for a period of five years or more.
We will make sure that the right foundation, structures and processes are put in place to
ensure that staff welfare is well taken of. Our company’s corporate culture is designed to
drive our business to greater heights and training and re – training of our workforce is at
the top burner.
Check List / Milestone

 Business Name Availability Check: Completed

 Business Registration: Completed
 Opening of Corporate Bank Accounts: Completed
 Securing Point of Sales (POS) Machines: Completed
 Opening Mobile Money Accounts: Completed
 Opening Online Payment Platforms: Completed
 Application and Obtaining Tax Payer’s ID: In Progress
 Application for business license and permit: Completed
 Purchase of Insurance for the Business: Completed
 Leasing of facility and construction of our gas station: In Progress
 Conducting Feasibility Studies: Completed
 Generating capital from family members: Completed
 Applications for Loan from the bank: In Progress
 Writing of Business Plan: Completed
 Drafting of Employee’s Handbook: Completed
 Drafting of Contract Documents and other relevant Legal Documents: In Progress
 Design of The Company’s Logo: Completed
 Graphic Designs and Printing of Packaging Marketing / Promotional Materials: In
Progress
 Recruitment of employees: In Progress
 Purchase of fuel dispensing machines (pumps) and equipment (automobile repair
tools, vulcanizing tools, and wheel alignment tools: Completed
 Purchase of the Needed furniture, racks, shelves, computers, electronic appliances,
office appliances and CCTV: In progress
 Creating Official Website for the Company: In Progress
 Creating Awareness for the business both online and around the community: In
Progress
 Health and Safety and Fire Safety Arrangement (License): Secured
 Opening party / launching party planning: In Progress
 Establishing business relationship with vendors – wholesale suppliers /
merchants: In Progress
 Purchase of fuel tankers and trucks: Completed