Welcome to Spark Hudson Ventures
On a Mission to Acquire an Established Small Business
Welcome to Spark Hudson Ventures
On a Mission to Acquire an Established Small Business
About Spark Hudson Ventures
The Mission
Spark Hudson Ventures (SHV) was started with the sole purpose of acquiring a single established, cash-flowing small business in any major city in the United States. Founded by entrepreneur and investor Ruben Ortega, SHV is dedicated to working hand-in-hand with prior ownership to ensure a smooth transition, valuing the legacy and reputation of the business.
Our values are the foundation of everything we do. We believe in honesty, integrity, and transparency in every business opportunity we evaluate.
The Founder
Ruben Ortega has over a decade of experience in finance, real estate, and operations. He started his career at Cornell University, where he studied real estate and finance. Ruben then joined Goldman Sachs in New York City, where he managed investment strategies for a $6.7B portfolio. After earning his MBA from Harvard Business School, he joined an early-stage apartment-hotel startup (employee #10) and launched the Real Estate team at Kasa Living, significantly expanding the company's footprint from 6 markets to over 30 markets nationwide. Directly reporting to the CEO, Ruben helped to scale the company's growth from Pre-Seed to Series B with more than $50M of venture capital capital raised and over 200 employees.
After Kasa, Ruben partnered with a long-time mentor and friend, William Perry, to co-found Spark Hudson, which focuses on providing third-party hotel management and advisory services to hotel owners. Today, Ruben provides ad-hoc consulting support across business development, financial underwriting, and strategy.
Now, ready for the next chapter, Ruben’s passion for owning a small business stems from his desire to apply everything he has learned across finance, operations, and team management to grow a business. Having worked in both large corporate environments on Wall Street and small high-growth startups in Silicon Valley, he is ready to acquire a stable business and steadily grow it to the next level.
Buying a Small Business is Personal.
Born and raised in El Paso, TX, Ruben developed his strong work ethic from his Mexican immigrant parents. As one of four siblings, he quickly learned at a young age how to be be resourceful and self-sufficient. He started working at the age of 14, selling newspapers, cleaning rooms, stocking shelves, and cashiering. Having worked with people from all walks of life, Ruben deeply empathizes with and understands the value of hard work.
Ruben has traveled to over 30 countries and has lived in a wide array of cities including New York City, Ft. Lauderdale, Ithaca, Albuquerque, Boston, San Antonio, and Philadelphia. While he currently resides in Austin, TX, he is no stranger to relocation.
The Criteria
We are focused on acquiring one established small business that meets our specific criteria. Our aim is to maintain the integrity and success of the business for the long term.
Business Type: Established with recurring revenue and low cyclicality
Industry Type: Agnostic to industry with strong preference for B2B services
Financials: Annual profit between $750K - $5M, consistent sales growth
Seller Profile: Owners seeking a smooth transition, committed to preserving their legacy