As CharterUP’s Chief Financial Officer, Luis Carranza has been pivotal in charting the company’s course toward long-term profitability and market dominance.
With a revenue run rate of $150 million achieved in 2022, CharterUP has turned a profit nearly every quarter since its inception, largely through its own bootstrapping efforts. Carranza’s role was not only instrumental in this financial success but also key in helping secure a $60 million Series A investment that is helping accelerate the company’s growth.
In a recent interview with Shoutout Atlanta, Carranza shared how he employs the tools he learned over seven years in investment banking to ensure CharterUP is adequately equipped with the capital and resources necessary to transform an industry.
Having known Armir Harris, CharterUP’s CEO and founder, since the early stages of his career, Carranza was drawn to the mission and potential of the company.
“CharterUP stood out to me as one of the best businesses I had ever come across,” Carranza said. “The proven profitable business model, combined with the right industry for disruption and Armir’s character, made it a perfect fit.”
Carranza further emphasized that beyond the potential for business success, CharterUP’s mission to become the leading charter bus marketplace in New York City, Los Angeles, Atlanta, and other U.S. cities while reducing carbon footprints was a significant draw.
“The implications of this mission are significant. By increasing the penetration of group travel, we are making the world a greener place,” he said. “Charter buses are the most energy-efficient per-mile means of travel, and by creating a leading marketplace for the charter bus industry, we are automatically moving forward the mission of increasing group transportation and reducing our carbon footprint.”
When asked about conventional advice he disagrees with, Carranza was quick to challenge the notion that one has to choose between working smart or working hard. In his experience, both elements are integral to success.
“At CharterUP, this philosophy has been a significant contributing factor to our success. We prioritize efficiency and strategic thinking, but we also understand that hard work and perseverance are crucial for achieving our goals,” he said. “Without the determination to keep pushing forward, even when faced with challenges and setbacks, we wouldn’t have achieved the level of success that we have.”
For more insights from Carranza, read the full interview on Shoutout Atlanta’s website.
