Great businesses often start with a big investment, a detailed plan, and a carefully calculated market entry. But sometimes, they start with nothing more than a moment of clarity in the middle of a crisis. That’s exactly how Mr. Sandeep Soni, founder and director of Zensys Chemicals, went from seeing his dealership business shut down in the pandemic to building one of India’s fastest-growing cleaning chemical brands.
An Entrepreneur in the Making
Even during his MBA days, Sandeep had a dream — to run his own industry. After graduating in 2012, he joined a chemical company in Pune as an Area Sales Manager. The next two years taught him everything from understanding raw materials to reading market trends and building customer relationships.
By 2014, he was ready to take the leap and founded Syclone Services, a dealership supplying housekeeping products and chemicals. But Sandeep’s approach was different. He wasn’t just a seller; he was a trainer, a consultant, and a partner to his clients. He visited sites, demonstrated products, and trained staff — a practice that earned him trust and loyalty in the industry.
The Day Everything Stopped
March 2020 was a turning point. The pandemic shut down cities, and with it, Syclone Services came to a halt. For months, Sandeep waited for business to return, but the situation in Pune only worsened. “I started feeling negativity all around me,” he recalls. “I knew I had to change my approach, or I’d lose everything I’d built.”
In that moment of uncertainty, he turned to the Bhagavad Gita for guidance. The teachings gave him clarity — instead of waiting for the market to recover, he would create his own opportunity. The idea was bold: manufacture my own cleaning chemicals.
From Kitchen Experiments to Commercial Production
The very next day, Sandeep ordered raw materials online and began experimenting with formulations. His years of experience paid off — the products worked better than many existing brands and cost significantly less to produce.
What began as small-scale trials soon grew into a clear business plan. In October 2022, he launched Zensys Chemicals, starting with a range of housekeeping, kitchen, and car care products, before expanding into 108 varieties of room fresheners and diffuser oils.
A USP That Works
Zensys Chemicals entered the market with a powerful value proposition: multipurpose cleaning products that deliver better results at more economical prices. But Sandeep didn’t stop there — he personally ensured that clients saw the products in action. Product demos and staff training became part of the service, building trust and ensuring customers got the best out of every purchase.
Within two years, Zensys Chemicals was supplying to 26 cities across India, an impressive feat for a company born in the aftermath of a global crisis.
Changing the Market
For many businesses, especially in hospitality, cleaning chemicals are a significant ongoing expense. Zensys helped them save money without compromising quality, solving one of the industry’s biggest pain points. In doing so, Sandeep carved a niche for his brand as both cost-effective and reliable.
Recognition and Awards
In March 2024, Silicon India Magazine listed Zensys Chemicals among the Top 10 Cleaning Chemicals Manufacturers in India. Later that year, the company was honored as Company of the Year 2024, and Sandeep’s interview was published in the magazine.
For a business that started with a single online order of raw materials during lockdown, this was a proud milestone — and a sign of bigger things to come.
The Principles Behind the Brand
Sandeep’s business philosophy is simple yet powerful:
- Never compromise on quality — every batch matters.
- Deliver on time — reliability is as important as performance.
- Build strong relationships — customers are long-term partners, not just transactions.
- Stay competitively priced — value wins loyalty.
For him, business isn’t just work — it’s passion. “It’s like being in love,” he says. “When you love something, you think about it all the time, you give it your best, and you want to see it grow.”
Looking Ahead
The next big step for Zensys Chemicals is to enter the retail market, bringing its products directly into households. While institutional clients remain the backbone of the business, retail expansion will allow the brand to reach a wider audience and make professional-grade cleaning products accessible to all.
Inspiration and Advice
Sandeep credits his professional inspiration to Mr. Saurabh Baderia, chairman of The Global Engineering & Management Institute, where he studied. He admired his discipline, time management, and leadership — qualities that shaped Sandeep’s own approach to business.
His advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is clear: choose a business you love, learn every detail about it, and be ready to adapt when challenges come. Passion and persistence, he believes, are the real secret ingredients to success.
From a pandemic shutdown to national recognition, Sandeep Soni’s journey is proof that when you have the courage to create your own opportunities, even the hardest times can lead to your biggest breakthroughs.
