By Kurtavia Burton
Amber Murray has made it her mission to end gas station inconvenience by bringing the pump to your front door. As the founder of Fuel Flo, she created a business that conveniently delivers gas to you. Simply put, it is “DoorDash, but for gas.”
“For the first time in my life, as a fully grown adult, I ran out of gas on I-85. I had to sit on the side of the highway for two hours while a tow truck brought me five dollars’ worth of gas. And I thought, ‘If I hate going to the gas station this much, somebody else has to as well,’” Murray said. This very thought became the spark for a blueprint and an innovative new business model.
Originally from South Carolina with an educational background in business administration and accounting, Murray chose to pivot into a new industry where she is not only one of the few women, but a woman of color.
“As far as this model on this scale, I am sure I am the only Black woman in the country, if not the world, doing something of this sort,” she shared. To make this dream a reality, she earned her A-Class CDL with hazmat and tanker endorsements. “I had to go and learn, so I can drive anything,” Murray said. She successfully launched Fuel Flo shortly after covid.
The idea is if you can get your food and groceries delivered, why not your fuel? The process is designed to be as seamless as possible. Customers sign up on the website, fuelflosc.com, and every week they are serviced on the same day.
“The day prior, I reach out to ask if you need a fill-up,” Murray said. “Your day isn’t interrupted. We come, pump to fill the tank, and go.” Fuel Flo offers both regular 87 and premium 93 fuel options. “Fueling is complex, but we make this as least complicated as possible for our customers,” she said.
Being in a new industry did bring roadblocks. “From the jump, there were challenges,” said Murray. “One big one was getting a bank to fund this idea that was unheard of. I lost count of the denials I got.” Eventually, a community lender in South Carolina believed in her vision and funded the idea. With the love and support from her family and close friends, five years later her dream continues to come true.
Though this is a male-centered industry, Murray is optimistic about being a Black woman from the South who is changing lives one fill-up at a time. Based out of South Carolina, Fuel Flo serves Lowcountry South Carolina including Dorchester, Berkeley, Charleston and Orangeburg, and has now expanded to Charlotte.
Customers can go to the website, choose their region, pick their service and have fuel delivered on the same day each week. There is no contract, only a subscription for either as needed or monthly service.
“When you call, you’re speaking to me directly, not a bot. I want people to experience a convenience that gives them some time back to themselves,” Murray said. Fuel Flo has serviced women, fleet drivers and senior citizens, bringing convenience through timesaving and safety for anyone, she added.
“I sat on bustling I-85 thinking how I could’ve stopped but thought I would make it to the next gas station,” said Murray.
Today, as she expands into Charlotte, her advice to other women is an echo of the Nike slogan, “Just Do It.”
“Once you start doing it, you’ll get past that fear. Do it scared. Read up on the industry as much as you can and go from there.” Murray said she has hopes for corporate contracts in Charlotte, servicing employees and expanding marketing to extend her service even further.
Fuel Flo Entrepreneur Goes Beyond the Pump to Serve Customers
By Kurtavia Burton
Amber Murray has made it her mission to end gas station inconvenience by bringing the pump to your front door. As the founder of Fuel Flo, she created a business that conveniently delivers gas to you. Simply put, it is “DoorDash, but for gas.”
“For the first time in my life, as a fully grown adult, I ran out of gas on I-85. I had to sit on the side of the highway for two hours while a tow truck brought me five dollars’ worth of gas. And I thought, ‘If I hate going to the gas station this much, somebody else has to as well,’” Murray said. This very thought became the spark for a blueprint and an innovative new business model.
Originally from South Carolina with an educational background in business administration and accounting, Murray chose to pivot into a new industry where she is not only one of the few women, but a woman of color.
“As far as this model on this scale, I am sure I am the only Black woman in the country, if not the world, doing something of this sort,” she shared. To make this dream a reality, she earned her A-Class CDL with hazmat and tanker endorsements. “I had to go and learn, so I can drive anything,” Murray said. She successfully launched Fuel Flo shortly after covid.
The idea is if you can get your food and groceries delivered, why not your fuel? The process is designed to be as seamless as possible. Customers sign up on the website, fuelflosc.com, and every week they are serviced on the same day.
“The day prior, I reach out to ask if you need a fill-up,” Murray said. “Your day isn’t interrupted. We come, pump to fill the tank, and go.” Fuel Flo offers both regular 87 and premium 93 fuel options. “Fueling is complex, but we make this as least complicated as possible for our customers,” she said.
Being in a new industry did bring roadblocks. “From the jump, there were challenges,” said Murray. “One big one was getting a bank to fund this idea that was unheard of. I lost count of the denials I got.” Eventually, a community lender in South Carolina believed in her vision and funded the idea. With the love and support from her family and close friends, five years later her dream continues to come true.
Though this is a male-centered industry, Murray is optimistic about being a Black woman from the South who is changing lives one fill-up at a time. Based out of South Carolina, Fuel Flo serves Lowcountry South Carolina including Dorchester, Berkeley, Charleston and Orangeburg, and has now expanded to Charlotte.
Customers can go to the website, choose their region, pick their service and have fuel delivered on the same day each week. There is no contract, only a subscription for either as needed or monthly service.
“When you call, you’re speaking to me directly, not a bot. I want people to experience a convenience that gives them some time back to themselves,” Murray said. Fuel Flo has serviced women, fleet drivers and senior citizens, bringing convenience through timesaving and safety for anyone, she added.
“I sat on bustling I-85 thinking how I could’ve stopped but thought I would make it to the next gas station,” said Murray.
Today, as she expands into Charlotte, her advice to other women is an echo of the Nike slogan, “Just Do It.”
“Once you start doing it, you’ll get past that fear. Do it scared. Read up on the industry as much as you can and go from there.” Murray said she has hopes for corporate contracts in Charlotte, servicing employees and expanding marketing to extend her service even further.