He Walked Away from a Corporate Job—and Built a $54M Empire in 3.5 years

From Combat to CEO: The Grit, Faith & Vision Behind Spartan Carrier Group | Freight People Podcast

In this unforgettable episode of the Freight People Podcast, host Ava Barnes sits down with Carlos Llanes Jr., CEO and founder of Spartan Carrier Group—a man whose story will stick with you long after the episode ends.

Carlos walks us through his bold journey from musician to Marine to multi-million-dollar logistics founder—growing Spartan Carrier from $0 to $54M in just over 3 years, with no outside funding. But this isn't just a business success story. It’s a story of purpose, grit, faith, and building something bigger than money.

You'll hear how Carlos landed Toyota as one of Spartan’s first clients, what it really takes to scale with integrity, and how he views automation not as an end—but as a means to serve people better. He also shares the powerful love story with his wife, the moment he found his faith, and how he's using his business as a platform for impact—from driver retention to AI and CDL schools.

If you're a freight leader, entrepreneur, or just someone craving purpose-driven inspiration, this one’s for you.

Listen to how Spartan is flipping the industry on its head—one mission-led decision at a time.

Timestamps

0:00 — Why automation only matters if it improves people’s lives

1:00 — From musician to Marine to logistics founder

3:30 — Winning Toyota with no backing

8:00 — Walking away from corporate America

14:00 — Carlos's love story + faith journey

27:00 — Building a driver-first company

30:00 — Why Spartan chose Alvys as their TMS

33:30 — Advice for freight founders

35:00 — Carlos’s final message on peace, leadership, and letting go of worry

Learn more about Spartan Carrier Group: https://spartcargroup.com Follow Spartan on Instagram: @spartancarriergroup

Want tech that grows with you? Check out alvys.com

Subscribe for more raw, real conversations with the people moving freight forward.