Virginia Murphy isn’t afraid of hard work or forging her own path. The founder and CEO of Waste Water Industrial Solutions (WWIS), Murphy leads a thriving structural steel fabrication company with expertise in designing, rebuilding and installing wastewater treatment equipment. Headquartered in Atlanta and founded in 2017, the business has grown from a modest startup to a multimillion-dollar operation with 35 full-time employees.
Supporting that evolution every step of the way has been the University of Georgia Small Business Development Center (UGA SBDC), which provides no-cost business consulting and training to Georgia’s small business community.
Murphy first contacted the UGA SBDC in 2021 amid the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Like many small business owners at that time, she was struggling to navigate federal relief programs. Her application for an Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) had been denied, and she turned to Todd Anduze, area director of the UGA SBDC in Gwinnett, for help.
“Todd connected me to the right person, gave me the language I needed, and told me where to send it,” said Murphy. “When I got that money, that was huge. It helped me survive COVID.”
Murphy credits that early guidance with keeping her business afloat at a critical moment. “Being a small business, one of our biggest challenges is financial resources,” she said. “Todd helped me survive.”
Murphy’s early business success was largely driven by grit and personal effort.
“Until right before I met Todd, I was just in the business. I was just trying to survive every day,” she said. “But I realized the biggest hindrance to my business was me. I wasn’t giving anybody else on my team the opportunity to support me. I felt like I had to get it all done myself. I knew I had to evolve.”
The support she found at the UGA SBDC helped her do just that. What began as a one-time consultation evolved into a long-term partnership with UGA SBDC consultants guiding her through key stages of growth. Over time, the UGA SBDC helped Murphy with everything from refining capability statements and creating a comprehensive safety manual to building a strategic business plan and identifying and executing website improvements.
“Todd helped me with so much as the business evolved,” said Murphy. “It just depended on where my growth was at the time. I would just call him and say, ‘Todd, I’ve got this challenge. What do you think I should do?’”
Through the UGA SBDC, Murphy also successfully applied for an Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business (EDWOSB) certification with the U.S. Small Business Administration. This positioned her to compete for government contracts and enter new markets.
“Virginia’s smart enough to bring in a second pair of eyes, even when she is going great,” said Anduze. “She’s absolutely unstoppable right now. Everything we want in a client.”
Murphy has also taken full advantage of the UGA SBDC’s training programs.
“I took so many classes when I first started—marketing, finance, accounting,” she said. “Even though I have an accounting degree, Todd connected me to QuickBooks training. He would recommend the best classes based on what I needed.”
The results speak for themselves. When WWIS launched in 2017, it was Murphy, one employee and a team of 10 contractors. Today, WWIS operates from a new facility with between 25 and 35 full-time employees.
Looking ahead, Murphy has her sights set on expanding her company’s services into new sectors, including aviation and equipment repair. With a proven track record in complex industrial systems and a team of highly skilled tradespeople, she sees strong potential for growth in both industries. As always, the UGA SBDC remains a trusted partner in developing the strategy to take that next leap.
“The UGA SBDC provided the support I needed as I grew the business,” said Murphy. “I think when Todd and I first got together, my revenue was probably $100,000. Now, I’m at $4 million a year.”
Murphy’s success hasn’t gone unnoticed. In 2023, she was named a finalist for Construction Business Owner magazine’s “Outstanding Women in Construction” award. Her company also gives back, such as donating backpacks and water bottles to Main Elementary School in Rome, Georgia, while working on a local project.
Murphy continues to value her relationship with the UGA SBDC, calling the center her “trusted advisor.”
“Trusted. That’s major,” she said. “Not someone who’s taking advantage but someone who acts like they are on your staff, who wants to see your success. They’re bought into it as if they’re going to get a paycheck from it. That’s massive.”
Murphy’s advice to other small business owners?
“Get help. Check out the resources, like the UGA SBDC. Don’t work so much in your business that you forget to work on your business. You don’t know what you don’t know, so don’t be afraid to seek the help you need.”
Funded in part through a Cooperative Agreement with the U.S. Small Business Administration.
All programs of the UGA SBDC are open to the public on a non-discriminatory basis. Reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities will be made if requested at least two weeks in advance.
The UGA SBDC is an accredited member of America’s SBDC.
The University of Georgia
Small Business Development Center
382 East Broad Street
Athens, GA 30602-5412
P: (706) 542-2762
