“Hard work, integrity and heart built more than a business — it built a legacy”

An Interview with Jo & Sanjay — Founders of Fleet Safety Systems Group

Q2. Jo, you encouraged Sanjay to open the fleet safety business in 2018. What did you see — in him and in the opportunity — that gave you confidence it was the right move?

When I met Sanjay and got to know him better, it became evident he was a hardworking man who had faced many challenges and was just drifting without direction. I saw determination in him — even if he didn’t see it himself. The most important thing I did was believe in him when he couldn’t believe in himself. I knew he wasn’t only a skilled engineer, but someone who could build something meaningful for himself and for our child. Having walked a path of rebuilding and self-discovery myself, I was confident that with the right encouragement and guidance, he could grow. Watching him evolve — not just in confidence but in leadership — has become one of our greatest rewards.

“We lacked size — so we built trust, relationships and care”

Q3. What were the biggest challenges in those early days competing against much larger companies, and how did you overcome them?

In the beginning, the hardest thing was making our name matter when competing with established brands. Big companies had name recognition, big budgets, large sales teams — we were just starting out, trying to prove we could match or exceed expectations. Some clients wouldn’t even consider us because we weren’t “well known.” But what we lacked in scale, we compensated for with passion, determination, and genuine care. Every client mattered to us. We listened harder, adapted faster, and always aimed to overdeliver. Over time, word spread — people realized we were different. Our personal touch became our edge. Those early struggles shaped our identity: hard-working, grounded, trustworthy.

Leadership, Vision & Culture

Q4. How would you describe your leadership styles, and how do they complement each other?Our styles are distinct, and that’s a strength for us. I (Jo) lean toward operations, processes, strategy, and structure. I enjoy planning, systems, and ensuring things run smoothly behind the scenes. My leadership is transformational — focused on inspiring, improving, growing.Sanjay, on the other hand, is a natural with customers, field work, and hands-on execution. His style is more of a servant leader — leading by example, putting people first, staying deeply connected to the work and the client. Transitioning from engineer mindsets to leadership was a journey, but now those differences balance perfectly. My organisation and foresight with his grounded experience and empathy make us a more complete leadership team.

Q5. What values have shaped your company’s culture, and how do you ensure they manifest daily

?From the beginning, trust, honesty, and genuine care have been nonnegotiables. We both come from backgrounds where hard work and integrity mattered more than titles or glamour, and those values have become our foundation.We ask ourselves daily — in every decision, action, interaction: “Would we be proud of this?” We don’t take shortcuts, we encourage open communication, and we always put people first (customers, staff, community). To make values real, we lead by example — Sanjay often joins the team on installations, staying hands-on, showing what “doing it right” means. I oversee the behind-the-scenes systems so that orders, communications, processes all reflect consistency and care. Our values aren’t just slogans — they guide how we treat people, measure success, and build reputation.

Innovation, Excellence & Growth

Q6. Fleet safety is highly specialised. What makes your approach stand out?

We don’t just sell products — we dig deep. We take time to understand each client’s operations, drivers, pain points. Sanjay’s hands-on industry knowledge lets us speak the same language as our clients — we get what works in real life, not just on paper. That's credibility.On the operations side, we focus on clarity, simplicity, and human connection. Safety systems can be full of jargon and overpromise. Our aim is to make them accessible, effective, and backed by support. But above all, we treat clients as partners, not numbers. That relational approach is rare in our sector and it sets us apart.

Q7. Over your many years in the motor trade, what innovations have transformed fleet safety — and where do you see the sector heading?

The shift has been from reactive to preventative. AI-powered camera systems now detect driver distraction, fatigue, mobile-phone use in real time, issuing alerts to drivers and fleet managers. Alcolock devices (breathalyser systems built into vehicles) are gaining traction to prevent risky behaviour.Looking ahead, I see safety becoming ever more integrated and proactive — systems that talk to each other, predictive analytics, driver coaching embedded in operations. But technology alone isn’t enough. The future lies in pairing smart tools with strong safety culture, accountability, and ongoing training. We aim to be the bridge — using tech wisely while always keeping people at the center.

Q8. Your motto is “getting it right first time.” How do you maintain quality as you scale?

Quality is our nonnegotiable. We only take on jobs we are confident we can deliver flawlessly. We stay regional (London, Kent, Essex) so we can stay close to clients, maintain control, and not overstretch.We ensure every installation is handled by small, highly trained teams aligned to our standards and ethos. By staying hands-on, we preserve our reputation. For us, success isn’t about being the biggest — it’s about being the most trusted.

Q9. Serving large fleets brings big contracts and big pressure. How do you balance that with supporting smaller clients?

The size of a client doesn’t change how we treat them. Whether a fleet of one or one hundred, they all get the same care, attention, integrity. We deliberately keep operational control tight (geographic focus) so we can give every client the level of service that earned us trust in the first place. That consistency is our greatest asset, across all scales of contract.

Personal Paths & Partnership

Q10. Jo, you’ve been open about life as a single mum, rebuilding after divorce, and navigating a male-dominated industry. How have those experiences shaped your leadership?

I’ve been to life’s lowest points. I’ve had to rise from nothing. Those experiences taught resilience, emotional strength, and staying level-headed under pressure. I don’t get intimidated — when things go wrong, I step back, assess, and find a path forward. My leadership is grounded in example: showing that no matter how hard life gets, it’s possible to build, heal, and grow. I also have a deep empathy for others who feel unseen or unheard — it’s a motivator for every choice I make.

Q11. Sanjay, what lessons from your early trade struggles still influence your business decisions today?

From the beginning I learned that nothing worth having comes easily. Hard work, honesty, humility — you earn trust through effort, not titles. I never had formal qualifications, so I had to prove myself constantly. Today, that mindset continues: I refuse shortcuts, I always aim for excellence, I treat everyone fairly. Every decision carries the same ethos as in those early days — integrity, pride, and doing it right the first time.

Q12. Running a business as a married couple is challenging. How do you balance being business partners and life partners without one role dominating the other?

It’s been one of our greatest challenges. In the early years, we talked about work 24/7. It bled into home life, children, rest. We realized we needed boundaries. So we agreed: business talk happens in neutral spaces (not at the dinner table). We learnt to separate “wife/husband” from “co-founder/colleague.” We accept each other’s strengths and trust one another. Over time, that balance matured — it doesn’t remove tension, but it gives us clarity and respect in both roles.

Community, Legacy & Impact

Q13. Giving back is clearly at your core — from volunteering to championing women in transport. Why is community service so important to you?

Giving back isn’t extracurricular — it’s essential. I (Jo) know what it’s like to feel excluded, unheard, unsupported. If we can use our skills, profits, resources to help others, we must. And for Sanjay, it’s about paying forward — even if you have three meals a day, giving one makes a difference. We want our children to carry these values forward: kindness, generosity, service.

Q14. Jo, you’ve been recognised as an “unsung heroine” for your charitable work. How do those values shape how you run the business?

To me, business and humanity are inseparable. I’m always looking for ways to apply what we do for others. Recently, we installed camera safety systems free of charge for a community first aid charity. In my nursery days, I gave local mums an hour of free childcare so they could attend important medical appointments. These values permeate how we run Fleet Safety Systems: profit is meaningful when it enables impact, when kindness, empathy, and community are part of every decision.

Q15. What legacy would you like to leave — in the fleet safety world and beyond as entrepreneurs?

We don’t just want to leave behind a successful business. We want to leave behind belief — in others, in possibility. Coming from backgrounds that often told us limits, we want to challenge those limits. We hope our story shows that you can build remarkable things without pedigree, without perfect starts. If just one person sees what we’ve done and says, “If they can do it, maybe I can too,” that’s legacy. Build with heart. Serve with integrity. Inspire someone else to do the same.

Follow Jo & Sanjay on Linkedin