Tate Kennedy doesn't just make coffee, he builds bridges. From the mountainous fields of Nicaragua to rock faces in the Czech Republic to a roastery in Massachusetts, Tate has spent his life connecting people through adventure, faith, and really good coffee.

As the founder of Octave Coffee and lead pastor of Gracepoint Community Church in North Andover, Massachusetts, Tate knows that the best conversations happen around shared rituals, whether that's a pour-over at dawn or a cup brewed on a rock ledge after nearly falling off the side of a mountain.

From Nicaragua to the World

Tate's coffee journey began long before Octave Coffee existed. Growing up, his family would travel to Nicaragua for missions work, where his father served as a pastor. Young Tate spent time walking through coffee fields, surrounded by the farms that would later inspire his life's work.

"Being around the coffee fields and the farms, that sense of adventure of getting outside and going, plus coffee, really played a big role in why we're doing what we're doing now," Tate explains.

Years later, after traveling across the United States for two years and spending seven years in the Czech Republic, Tate and his family returned to the Boston area with a dream: to open a roastery that didn't just sell coffee but built community and supported the farmers they'd known for decades.

Eight Notes, Eight Roasts

Three years ago, Tate and his business partner decided it was time to bring back what they'd missed: roasting coffee. They launched Octave Coffee, a music-themed roastery where each of their eight roasts represents a different genre of music.

"An octave has eight different levels, so we have eight different coffees," Tate says. The name represents harmony, layers, and the way good coffee, like good music, brings people together.

What started with two small roasters (handling just two pounds each at a time) recently upgraded to a commercial-size roaster, allowing them to scale production while maintaining their commitment to quality and local sourcing.

"Stop buying coffee from your supermarket," Tate urges. "That coffee is old, it's pre-ground, it's losing so much of its flavor. You deserve better coffee."

Coffee as Connection

For Tate, coffee has never been just about the beans. It's about the story behind them, the farmers who grew them, the regions they came from, the people you share them with.

"When you really dial into that story, it makes it taste better," he says. "Not only is it better quality if you're sourcing better beans and taking care of the farmers, but just being able to connect with something gives you a deeper appreciation for what you're enjoying."

This philosophy extends to Octave Coffee's dream of opening a brick-and-mortar shop someday, not just for themselves, but as a "watering hole" for their community.

"We want to be the kind of people that if we were gone tomorrow, the community would miss us," Tate says. "We care about them."

Climbing High, Brewing Higher

While living in the Czech Republic, Tate got into rock climbing with a friend who happened to be a pro climber. What started as an effort to lose weight and get back in shape turned into something much more profound.

"He's pushing me way outside of my comfort zone. I'm hanging off the side of this rock face and I think I'm about to die," Tate laughs. "But he helps me get up to the top, and we sit up there and we brew a cup of coffee."

Those mountaintop conversations, fueled by Aeropress coffee and adrenaline, became some of the most meaningful moments of Tate's time abroad. They reinforced what he already knew: the table (or the summit) is where walls come down and real connection happens.

"Whether you're at a shop in the middle of Prague or you're up on a rock face after you thought you were just about to die, those conversations around coffee break down barriers between humans."

Lean Into Discomfort

When asked what advice he'd give to people struggling to find community, Tate's answer is immediate: get uncomfortable.

"For a long time, I struggled with this idea of looking dumb or feeling uncomfortable," he admits. "But if we want to grow, we've got to feel a little bit of discomfort. We don't grow in comfortability."

That philosophy applies to everything, learning a new language (which Tate did in the Czech Republic), showing up to a new gym, or walking into a coffee shop for the first time.

"Most people are nicer than you think they are," Tate says. "Don't be afraid to look like an idiot. I've looked like an idiot so many times in my life, and I'm so thankful because I learned through it."

Get Outside Your Bubble

With four kids (including an 18-year-old daughter and a nearly 17-year-old son), Tate and his wife have been intentional about exposing their family to different cultures and perspectives.

Over two years, they traveled to 30 different states. They spent time in Nicaragua and nearly seven years in the Czech Republic. The goal? To help their kids understand that people around the world aren't all that different.

"That family down there in Nicaragua, they're not different from us," Tate says. "They have the same struggles, they have the same joys. When we monetize things and turn them into business, it's so easy to view another culture as just a means to an end. But how can we partner with them? How do we lift everybody up?"

In February, Tate plans to return to Nicaragua to visit his friend who owns a coffee farm in Jinotega. It's part of Octave Coffee's commitment to sourcing ethically and building relationships that go deeper than supply chains.

Gear Built to Last

As someone who makes coffee everywhere, from church events to trail tops—Tate values gear that can keep up with his lifestyle. He's been using the Hibear All-Day Adventure Flask since before officially partnering with the brand, and it's become an essential part of his daily ritual.

"That all-day adventure flask, dude, it's a fantastic product," Tate says. "Being able to do my coffee in it, and I love tea as well... I have to fight my wife over it most days to see who's going to carry it."

For Tate, the flask embodies what all adventure gear should be: multifunctional, durable, and capable of fueling the moments that matter—whether that's a dawn patrol caffeine hit or a post-climb celebration brew.

Stay Uncomfortable

When asked what he wants to leave people with, Tate's answer is simple: "Stay uncomfortable."

It's a philosophy that runs through everything he does, from learning Czech to starting a roastery to scaling rock faces. Discomfort is where growth happens. It's where connections form. It's where coffee tastes better because you earned it.

Octave Coffee is still in its early days, but Tate's vision is clear: build something that matters beyond the bottom line. Create spaces where people gather. Support farmers who've been partners for decades. Make damn good coffee. And do it all with a spirit of adventure, faith, and relentless curiosity.

Because at the end of the day, whether you're brewing on a mountaintop or in your kitchen, coffee is just an excuse to bring people together.