The Prax Group, a privately-owned energy conglomerate with revenues exceeding £10 billion, began with a leased filling station, a £15,000 bank loan, and two young entrepreneurs who maxed out their credit cards to make it work. Sanjeev and Arani Soosaipillai, the company’s co-founders, have spent more than 25 years building their business from that single site into a multinational operation spanning upstream oil production, refining, terminals, and retail distribution.
Their trajectory offers practical lessons for business owners at any stage.
Start Before You Feel Ready
Sanjeev and Arani acquired their first filling station in their early twenties, without the capital to buy it outright. A retiring owner agreed to lease the premises to them after seeing something in the young couple. Sanjeev has recalled convincing their bank manager to lend them £15,000, the maximum a branch manager could approve at the time. “He asked me for all these wonderful projections, which I kind of dreamt up,” Sanjeev admitted in an internal company interview. “I don’t know what he saw in us!”
The couple needed more than the loan provided. They remortgaged their flat and exhausted their credit card limits. “We needed a lot of money to kick it off — and we went to Kingdom Come to do it,” Sanjeev said. “We put everything we had into starting the business.”
Keep Operational Costs Minimal in Early Stages
Prax Group’s headquarters remain in Weybridge, Surrey, a location chosen for purely practical reasons. “Why Weybridge? Because it was between where I worked at the time, and where Arani worked at the time,” Sanjeev explained. “We’d never been there before, but we looked on the map and that seemed to be kind of middle-ish, so that’s where we ended up.”
Their first office was a serviced unit that a former colleague described as “the broom cupboard” due to its size. Four desks were squeezed into the space. The couple built from there, expanding only as revenue allowed.
Distribute Responsibilities According to Strengths
Arani Soosaipillai serves as the Prax Group’s Chief Human Resources and Corporate Officer, overseeing HR strategy, recruitment, and training programmes. Sanjeev has focused on commercial growth, acquisitions, and trading operations. This division allowed each to develop expertise in their respective domains while maintaining joint ownership of major decisions.
“Arani has been the cornerstone, keeping the whole show on the road,” Sanjeev stated. “She provided the support and strength which has enabled me to be so dedicated to the business. If you imagine some of the huge risks we took, she was always 100% behind me, providing me with that confidence.”
Develop Adaptability as a Core Skill
When asked about lessons learned during their careers, both founders emphasised flexibility. Sanjeev identified adaptability as “one of the most valuable lessons I’ve learned” in material published by the company in 2025. “Whether it’s a shift in market conditions, technology, or company strategy, being able to pivot and embrace change has been critical to my career.”
Arani echoed this view: “No matter how well you plan, things will change. Being flexible and open to learning new skills or perspectives is therefore crucial to success.”
Focus on Solutions Rather Than Problems
Sanjeev cited a solution-oriented mindset as essential to the company’s growth. “One of the most significant lessons I’ve learned is the importance of focusing on solutions, rather than dwelling on the challenges themselves,” he stated. “In every situation, there’s an opportunity to move forward.”
This approach shaped how the founders responded to setbacks. “When I’ve encountered setbacks, I’ve focused on staying calm under pressure and maintaining a clear head,” Sanjeev explained. “Instead of getting discouraged, I’ve always asked myself: ‘What can I learn from this?’ and ‘How can I use this experience to improve?'”
Build Relationships as Business Infrastructure
Both founders stressed that individual capability matters less than effective collaboration. “No matter how skilled or capable an individual may be, success is almost always achieved through effective collaboration,” Sanjeev noted. “Building strong relationships, fostering trust, and ensuring that communication is clear and respectful has allowed me to achieve more within my teams.”
Arani described relationships as fundamental: “Success is rarely a solo effort. Building strong relationships — whether with colleagues or mentors — has been invaluable.”
Accept That Mistakes Are Inevitable
Asked whether he would do anything differently given the chance to start over, Sanjeev responded with laughter. “Oh my God, I would have done loads of things differently! I can give you 20 different volumes of things I would have done differently. You just live and learn, don’t you? Sometimes, you do something two or three times before you realise you need to do it differently.”
The Soosaipillais’ experience suggests that business growth depends less on avoiding errors than on responding to them constructively. Arani framed this as turning “failures into learning opportunities” rather than viewing setbacks as permanent obstacles.
The Prax Group now employs over 1,400 people at its peak and operates across Europe, Africa, and the Americas. The company that began above a corner shop where Sanjeev helped his uncle the day after arriving in the UK from Sri Lanka now owns the Lindsey Oil Refinery in Lincolnshire and holds interests in refineries in South Africa.