Meet Andrew Beardsley
We had the good fortune of connecting with Andrew Beardsley and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Andrew, how has your work-life balance changed over time?
When I launched Colorado Estate Management in 2025, something fundamental shifted. For the first time, I had the freedom to design my work around my life rather than the other way around.
That balance has only deepened over time. Today, I’m able to prioritize my family, pursue meaningful board work with our family foundation, and invest in building communities that matter—like the Colorado Private Estate Network and now the Private Estate Network on a national scale.
What I’ve discovered is that this isn’t really about “balance” in the traditional sense of keeping two competing forces in equilibrium. It’s about integration. The time I spend connecting private service professionals at CPEN events, the relationships I build across this industry, the work I do with families navigating complex estate operations—it all feeds the same purpose.
This space to breathe and engage more fully has refined how I serve my clients. When you’re not running on empty, you show up differently. You listen better. You anticipate needs rather than just react to them. The work becomes less transactional and more relational—which is exactly what ultra-high-net-worth families need from someone managing the intimate details of their daily lives.
I think the balance comes down to this: when your work genuinely enriches you, you bring that richness back to the people you serve.
Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
My path to founding Colorado Estate Management wasn’t linear—and I think that’s exactly what makes me effective at what I do.
I started in restaurants, working my way up through kitchens and learning the discipline of anticipating needs before they’re spoken. From there, I became a private chef for ultra-high-net-worth families, which opened my eyes to a different world entirely. I wasn’t just cooking anymore—I was becoming embedded in the fabric of how these households operated. I saw the complexity. The logistics of managing multiple residences, coordinating staff, overseeing vendors, handling the endless details that allow a family to live seamlessly.
That exposure led me into estate management roles, where I found my calling. But it also meant relocating my family multiple times to follow the right opportunities. Each move taught me something new about serving at the highest level—and tested our resilience as a family.
Was it easy? No.
There were health crises that stopped us in our tracks. There were moments of doubt when I wondered if betting on myself was the right call. There were years of learning through trial and error what ultra-high-net-worth families actually need versus what they say they need.
What I learned:
This work is deeply personal. These families aren’t just clients—they’re trusting you with the intimate details of their daily lives. Their homes. Their children’s schedules. Their privacy. Their peace of mind. That’s sacred, and I never forget it.
I also learned that the best estate managers aren’t just operationally excellent—they’re emotionally intelligent. They read rooms. They anticipate friction before it happens. They protect their principals from problems they’ll never even know existed.
What sets me apart:
My hospitality background gave me something you can’t teach—an instinct for service that comes from the heart, not a checklist. When you’ve spent years in kitchens where every detail matters and every moment is about creating an experience, you carry that with you.
I also bring a rare combination: I’ve been the private chef, the estate manager, the person building the vendor relationships, the one managing the staff. I understand every layer of how a household functions because I’ve worked in every layer.
What I’m most proud of:
Building Colorado Estate Management into a fractional model that gives families access to estate management expertise without the full-time commitment. Not every family needs—or wants—a full-time estate manager. But they still deserve that level of care and professionalism. I built something that meets them where they are.
I’m also proud of founding the Colorado Private Estate Network, creating space for private service professionals to connect, learn from each other, and elevate the entire industry. And now, expanding that vision nationally with the Private Estate Network—building a directory that connects families across the country’s top luxury markets with trusted fractional estate management providers.
What I want people to know:
This isn’t just a business for me. It’s a calling. I serve families from the heart because I understand what it means to protect what matters most. I’ve built a life alongside my wife Angela for 34 years, raised a family, navigated challenges that could have broken us. That perspective shapes everything I do.
When you work with me, you’re not getting a vendor. You’re getting a trusted advisor who treats your household like it’s my own.
If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
If my best friend came to visit for a week, I’d want them to experience Colorado the way I live it—not the tourist version, but the real thing. Good food, great conversation, and time outdoors that reminds you why you’re alive.
The Home Base
Honestly, a lot of the best moments would happen at my house. I didn’t spend years as a private chef to let my friends eat out every meal. I’d cook for them—really cook for them. We’d have long dinners at the table, exceptional cocktails crafted properly, and mornings that start with coffee done right. That’s the hospitality I believe in: the kind where people feel genuinely taken care of.
Morning Rituals
Every good day starts with great coffee. I’d take them to Kaladi Brothers—no frills, just excellent coffee from people who care about the craft. Grab a cup and ease into whatever the day holds.
On the Trails
I’m lucky to have single track mountain biking right behind my house in Erie. We’d hit those trails early, then maybe venture out toward Lyons or Boulder for something more technical with better views. There’s nothing like earning your breakfast on a bike.
For hiking, Batossa is my go-to. It’s the kind of place where you can clear your head and actually talk—or not talk at all. Both are good.
On the Mountain
If it’s ski season, we’re going to Loveland or A-Basin. No pretense, no scene—just great snow and the kind of terrain that rewards people who actually want to ski. These are mountains for skiers, not for being seen.
A Little Competition
I’d definitely take them out to Colorado Clays for sporting clays. There’s something grounding about the focus it requires—and it’s a great way to spend a morning before a long lunch.
Golden Hour
I’m a photographer at heart, so we’d chase the light at least one morning or evening. The foothills and Lookout Mountain at dawn or dusk—that’s when Colorado shows off. I’d have my camera; they can just take it in.
On the Course
For golf, it doesn’t get better than Arrowhead or Fossil Trace. Arrowhead is dramatic—you’re playing through red rock formations that make you forget you’re on a golf course. Fossil Trace has its own character, with dinosaur fossils built right into the landscape. Either way, we’re not rushing. Golf is an excuse to walk, talk, and enjoy the day.
The One Restaurant I’d Insist On
El Taco De Mexico. No negotiation. It’s not fancy, it’s not trendy—it’s just perfect. The green chile is the standard by which all others are measured. If you want to understand Colorado, you eat here.
The Thread Through It All
The best trips aren’t about checking boxes—they’re about presence. Good coffee in the morning. Time outside. A meal cooked with care. Conversation that actually matters. That’s the week I’d give my best friend, because that’s the life I’ve built here.
Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Without hesitation—my wife, Angela.
We’ve been married 34 years, and she has been my best friend through every chapter of this journey. Every single one.
She was there when I was grinding through school and university. She believed in me when I took the leap into the restaurant world, then again when I pivoted to becoming a private chef. She supported our family through multiple relocations when career opportunities called us to new cities. She stood beside me as I transitioned into estate management roles and eventually found the courage to launch Colorado Estate Management.
Through health crises that tested us. Through the beautiful chaos of raising our family. Through late nights refining a new business model and early mornings wondering if it would work.
Angela has been my sounding board when I needed to think out loud, my cheerleader when doubt crept in, and my source of inspiration when I needed to remember why any of this matters. She sees things in me I sometimes can’t see in myself, and she’s never been afraid to tell me the truth—even when it wasn’t what I wanted to hear.
The work I do today serving families—helping them navigate the complexities of their lives with care and discretion—I learned what that looks like at home first. Angela showed me what it means to truly support someone through every season.
If there’s any success in my story, she deserves more than a shoutout. She deserves co-author credit.
Website: https://coloradoestatemanagement.com
Nominate Someone: ShoutoutColorado is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
