Fueled dreams from the filled tanks

Success doesn’t happen instantly. It is built one step, one commitment, and one brave decision at a time.

For Snooky Sardan, becoming successful in their business venture wasn’t about luck, but about being hands-on, working hard every day, and never being afraid to take a significant risk. What began as a simple effort to support her family soon grew into a thriving business.

Snooky grew up in Antique in a family of seven siblings with farmer parents. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in 2006 from the University of Antique. After studying,  she worked as a customer service representative, then as a cashier, and later as a supervisor in a membership shopping warehouse in Manila.

In 2014, she married the love of her life, Rex L. Sardan. When they had their first child in 2015, she left her work in Manila and moved with her family to Oriental Mindoro to focus on raising their child. However, things did not go as smoothly as hoped. Even with her attention focused on their growing family, financial challenges arose as they struggled to meet their needs. It took them two years to move into their own home.

How the flame started

In 2019, they decided to start a business. Little did they know that this step would spark growth in both their livelihood and their dreams. They established a Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) trading business with a single primary brand. Aside from the practicality of LPG not being perishable, they also wanted to provide for the daily household needs of their community. With PHP 150,000 as their initial capital, drawn from the savings they had accumulated over the years, they purchased 100 cylinders to get started. And with that, Sardan LPG Trading was born.

The beginning was far from easy. To ensure they always had stock and could continue serving customers, they worked hard and marketed persistently, using face-to-face, door-to-door, and person-to-person methods. They introduced and promoted their services across their municipality in Naujan, Oriental Mindoro. And it worked! Households, stores, bakeries, eateries, and roasting businesses regularly bought tanks and refills from them.

Later, they added two more LPG brands to serve a broader market. Each year, they also added approximately 80 cylinders to their inventory, thereby strengthening their supply availability across various areas in the municipality. They eventually established multiple outlets as well.

But growth is not always smooth. They faced several uncontrollable challenges, including inflation that affected their profit margins and competition from new LPG dealers in their area. This pushed them to lower their prices beyond their ideal rate.

Still, because they had already earned the trust of their community, customers stayed loyal. Many even recommended them to others, helping their business continue to grow despite the challenges.

What Fuels the Flame More

In 2021, Snooky became a client of CARD Bank, a microfinance-oriented rural bank, along with her mother-in-law. She availed a PHP 10,000 loan to expand their LPG business further and invest in mobile financial services such as money transfers and load selling. This helped support their household as they continued to grow.

The following year, they hired a delivery staff to assist with operations. Yet, they remained very hands-on with the business, still passionately doing their part and taking their role in the management. Because the business involves flammable products, they also invested in safety measures, including fire extinguishers, BFP inspections, and compliance with risk-reduction requirements.

In 2024, CARD Bank offered them a PHP 200,000 loan, which they used to start another business supplying calamansi fruits. Each harvest earns them around PHP 70,000, in addition to their continuously growing LPG business.

Snooky is deeply grateful for the support that helped her family grow and explore new business opportunities. With financial assistance and benefits such as savings and insurance, she hopes others can experience the same level of guidance and opportunity that transformed their family’s journey.

Keeping the fire burning

For six years, their business has enabled them to make significant progress. They have acquired motorcycles, tricycles, and an elf truck, which they also use for deliveries. Today, they sell around 300 to 350 cylinders per month, or roughly 3,600 cylinders a year. But they are not stopping there. They plan to expand their LPG outlets beyond District 1 in Oriental Mindoro and increase their storage capacity.

They are also planning to establish a gasoline station to provide affordable fuel services in their community, building a long-term business that their children can inherit.

When asked about their secret, Snooky emphasizes the importance of focus, consistent monitoring, and hands-on supervision. She also advises exploring additional businesses that you can manage well.

Snooky and her husband are living proof that aspiring entrepreneurs should not be afraid to take a chance. As long as there is an opportunity, grab it and manage it wisely. And, of course, always be a responsible payer to those you have credited in investment.

Today, with their three children, they continue to work hard and keep the flame of persistence burning. Who would have thought that filling tanks would not only fuel the kitchen stoves of their customers, but also their dreams and visions?