From RM50,000 to the Open Road

While much of Malaysia slept, Joshua Ravi and Siva Subra spent long nights in a lorry workshop, repairing grease-covered heavy vehicles beneath dim lights. There were no comfortable beds, no regular meals and no certainty about what the next day would bring. What they did have was a shared determination to build a better future.

Today, the two entrepreneurs are behind SJR Logistics Sdn Bhd and SJR Tyre Sdn Bhd, businesses operating in Malaysia’s transport, logistics and commercial-tyre sectors. Their story is one of learning through hardship, taking calculated risks and turning practical experience into opportunity.

Learning From the Ground Up

Joshua and Siva arrived in the Klang Valley without university qualifications, influential contacts or significant financial backing. They began working for a large trailer company, where they were involved in managing a fleet of more than 100 commercial lorries.

The work was demanding. For several years, they worked extremely long hours, often sleeping on workshop floors and sacrificing weekends to keep vehicles operational. The experience was difficult, but it provided valuable practical knowledge in areas that would later become central to their own ventures:

• Heavy-vehicle and lorry repairs
• Diesel-engine maintenance
• Fleet management
• Transport planning and operations
• The day-to-day realities of the logistics sector

Rather than treating the role as only a job, they used it as an opportunity to understand the mechanics, costs and operational pressures behind commercial transport.

Turning Setbacks Into a Start

When they began exploring the possibility of starting a business, they faced obstacles familiar to many new entrepreneurs: difficulty obtaining bank financing, a lack of supplier credit and limited working capital.

Their situation became even more uncertain when the company they worked for went bankrupt. Instead of viewing the closure solely as a setback, Joshua and Siva decided to take a chance on themselves.

Pooling RM25,000 each, they began with RM50,000 in capital. Purchasing a lorry outright was beyond their budget, so they chose a more accessible route: leasing commercial vehicles with lower upfront deposits. This allowed them to put five lorries into operation from the outset.

A Practical Growth Strategy

The partners looked for opportunities where others saw problems. One of their early strategies involved purchasing damaged lorries from bankrupt businesses, repairing them and returning them to commercial use. By combining their mechanical knowledge with their understanding of fleet operations, they were able to convert underused assets into income-generating vehicles.

The approach helped their transport operation expand rapidly:

Their growth was built not only on ambition, but also on an ability to manage costs, make use of practical skills and reinvest in the business.

Building a Second Business

As their logistics operation grew, Joshua and Siva recognised that tyres represented one of the most significant recurring costs in commercial transport. High prices and unreliable supply created challenges for fleet operators, but they also revealed a business opportunity.

The partners moved into direct tyre sourcing and importation, reducing reliance on intermediaries and creating SJR Tyre Sdn Bhd. The business now complements their logistics operations by supplying commercial tyres and addressing an essential need within the transport industry.

Together, their companies serve customers across Malaysia through logistics services, transport-fleet operations and tyre distribution. What began with limited capital and no established credit has developed into businesses with stronger financial footing and growing reach.

A Story of Partnership

For Joshua and Siva, the journey has been about more than revenue or fleet size. Their success rests on a partnership forged through years of shared hardship, long working hours and mutual trust.

“Joshua is not just my business partner — he’s my brother,” Siva says, reflecting the relationship that has supported their progress.

Their experience offers an important message for aspiring entrepreneurs: a lack of connections, funding or formal qualifications does not have to be the final word. Progress often begins with practical skills, resilience and the willingness to continue when circumstances are uncertain.

From repairing lorries through the night to building businesses in Malaysia’s logistics and tyre sectors, Joshua Ravi and Siva Subra have shown that sustained effort, smart decisions and a strong partnership can turn a modest beginning into lasting momentum.