Lower Burrell woman wins $25,000 grant from Pens and 84 Lumber

A business venture originally meant to be a hobby has changed the course of a Lower Burrell woman’s life and brought her unexpected financial support.

Nicole Waltenbaugh, 35, has been awarded a $25,000 EmpowerHER Grant sponsored by the Pittsburgh Penguins and the 84 Lumber LIFT (Leading & Inspiring Females to Thrive) program. The contest was open to women who own businesses, and Waltenbaugh was one of over 1,100 nominees.

Waltenbaugh owns Curly Tail Coffee, which during the pandemic has operated out of a restored trailer parked in her native Kittanning. She also has an Etsy shop online and ships coffee products all over the U.S. and internationally.

She learned of her victory when it was announced during the 1st period of last Thursday’s Penguins/Flyers game at PPG Paints Arena.

“I about fell over,” she said. “It was a pretty special moment for sure.”

Waltenbaugh had been working full time as a dental hygienist in 2015 when she decided to start a coffee roasting business out of her home. From the start, she donated a portion of her profits to local animal rescue, including a shelter that specializes in rescuing pug dogs. (Waltenbaugh and her husband own three pugs.)

Her motto is “Drink coffee and do good.”

She taught herself how to roast coffee and started selling it out of a restored 1969 Serro Scotty trailer. As the business continued to grow, she bought a commercial-sized roaster. By April 2019, she gave up her job as a dental hygienist and made her coffee business a full-time gig, selling coffee from the trailer and bags of coffee online.

“It was scary to make that jump. I held on for a long time until I absolutely couldn’t do both jobs anymore,” Waltenbaugh said. “But I’m glad I did it.”

To this point, she has raised over $30,000 for animal rescue.

One of Waltenbaugh’s friends who is a Penguins season-ticket holder heard about the EmpowerHER Grant contest and nominated her business. When the contestants were narrowed down, Waltenbaugh was chosen as one of three finalists. She was asked to write an essay explaining how she would use the money if she won the $25,000.

Online voting took place from March 30 to April 13. At the game last Thursday, she was presented with the oversized check.

“When they announced my name, I started crying. It was just an overwhelming feeling,” Waltenbaugh said.

She plans to use the money to expand her business, which includes buying a larger trailer with a heating system for the winter.

“We just have a little propane heater, so we are bundled up in there like we’re going skiing,” Waltenbaugh said.

She also could use the extra space for stocking more products. In addition to coffee, she sells tea, cocoa and fresh pastries from Mazziotti Bakery in Lower Burrell and independent baker Victor Carlesi of Kittanning. She would also like to hire staff. Curly Tail Coffee is essentially a two-person operation with Waltenbaugh and her husband doing nearly all of the work.

“With us being able to sell more and being open longer, higher productivity means more money going to local animal rescues and nonprofits,” Waltenbaugh said. “We’re looking at how to make more to donate more.”