Sandra Harris Virtue Realty LLC

Sandra Harris worked as a community manager for 20 years, but always had the dream of owning her own business. As someone who overcame living in subsidized housing, she cultivated her passion by assisting single mothers living in low-income housing to become self-sufficient homeowners.

In 2018 she became a real estate broker for her company, Virtue Realty LLC, whose mission is to educate, equip, and empower women in business and to combat the wealth gap by helping them to become homeowners.

After learning about and attending a workshop for women entrepreneurs hosted by the SBA Georgia District Office, she knew her life would change if she followed the steps presented in the class. “The SBA staff made me believe that entrepreneurship was possible and that my dream doesn’t have to remain a dream – it can become a reality,” she said.



The next year, the pandemic hit and Sandra realized she needed a plan to continue thriving as a small business owner.

In early 2021, Sandra followed up with the SBA Georgia District staff who connected her to one of the district’s resource partners Access to Capital for Entrepreneurs (ACE). Sandra credits Sandy Headley, vice president of ACE, for helping her participate in the Accelerating Growth Activator Program, which supports minority small businesses in securing funding, procuring new customers, expanding market share, and increasing jobs. ACE also counseled Sandra on additional ways to secure funding for a physical location for her small business.

Through the connections and counseling she received through ACE and the SBA, Sandra was able to close on a commercial building in April 2021 to further expand Virtue Realty LLC’s ability to provide services to women in her community. Sandra said, “Words simply cannot express how eternally grateful I am for SBA and ACE. I am delighted that the glass ceiling and the barrier to my next level of success have been broken. I have been empowered; therefore, I go forth and empower others.”