Andrew Schmidt

Founder | GSD Consulting

Andrew Schmidt founded GSD Consulting in 2021 to ‘Align Resource and Relationship for Good’. Working with both non-profit and for-profit clients, GSD offers Strategic Advisory, Business Development and Culture Creation services, to help accelerate the success of impact-driven organizations. GSD is currently serving clients moving the needle in addiction/incarceration, child care benefit, fundraising and strategic planning spaces. Andrew’s background is built on multiple successful businesses in the Denver Metro region as well as earning deep equity in the non-profit leadership space. Andrew still provides strategic oversight in both of award winning home service businesses, Core Roofing + Solar and Water Damage Inc. Throughout his career, Andrew has been a thought leader and speaker, to help operationalize belief and behavioral values into their organizations and be a change maker in his local communities.

In 2016, Andrew spearheaded efforts to bring The Other Side Academy (TOSA) to Denver after seeing the model on LEX in Salt Lake City. TOSA is a peer-led, residential, self-sustaining social enterprise that helps people escape the cycle of drug addiction and criminality through the operation of several small businesses. A first-time fundraiser, Andrew brought together the foundation community, private sector and political allies to take a stand for a population that is often considered lost. Together, they completed a capital campaign of more than $5 million to launch TOSA in 2019. The organization is now 90% operationally self-sufficient through its two social enterprises, The Other Side Movers and The Other Side Furniture Boutique . In July of 2022, TOSA moved into a newly remodeled Parkside Mansion and doubled their residents from 32 to 65 and acquired an additional property to house students and staff. In 2023, TOSA was awarded a 4MM grant from the BHA to acquire and remodel the old Doll Museum, forming a contiguous campus of 120 residents by the end of 2024.  Over 82% of Tosa graduates are crime free, drug free and employed, after their 2.5 year stay.

In 2019, Andrew was a finalist for 9News Leader of the Year and a winner of DBJ’s 40 under 40. He currently serves on the board of the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce and is chair of the board for TOSA Denver. He previously served on the boards of the DMCC Leadership Foundation, Owens Corning Platinum Advisory, and the Rocky Mountain Micro Finance Institute.

Andrew was a member of the Leadership Denver class of 2015, and was the class speaker for his Streetwise MBA program through the Small Business Administration in 2013. Andrew also holds a BA in Classical Theatre in Performance from Belhaven College.

In his free time, Andrew loves to travel, spend time with friends, smoke meat and sit by fires. As one who really appreciates being from Cleveland, he’s most appreciative of not living in Cleveland. His greatest joys, though, are his two little humans and his wife, Mackenzie.