The clear message to RIAs in 2025: Growth is the industry’s biggest opportunity and one of its most persistent challenges. Few people have their finger on that pulse as firmly as Shawnette Gauer, managing director of enterprise solutions and the leader behind Schwab’s newly launched Advisor ProDirect program.
Gauer, who has spent 35 years in the RIA industry and 15 at Schwab, told InvestmentNews during Schwab IMPACT 2025 that the financial advisor community still reflects what first drew her into the profession. “Somehow we've kept this really special culture right, where advisors love learning and growing and connecting with each other,” she said. Advisors still say, ‘Oh my gosh, the community and the connections and the transparency…we don't get that where we are.’”
That sense of connection underscores how advisors approach IMPACT — and how Gauer approaches her job. “When we're here [at IMPACT], it’s spending time with our advisors, getting to know them, getting to know what their needs are, what's important to them,” she said. “We’re helping connect advisors and support them with the resources and tools…that are really helpful as they think about their business growth.”
Gauer’s point of view is shaped not only by her time at Schwab but also by having once stood in an advisor’s shoes. She ran her own RIA in the 1990s before later helping build a multigenerational advisory partnership and then constructing the investment division of a family office seemingly overnight. Through it all, she learned what she enjoys most.
“The piece that I really love in this industry is the build — helping firms go from point A to point B,” she said. “That's what I've been able to do the 15 years I've been at Schwab… and now with the opportunity to lead Advisor ProDirect, for me, it's the pinnacle of everything that I love.”
Launched in July, Advisor ProDirect is Schwab’s first membership-based program, designed as a comprehensive platform for growth, operational efficiency and community for RIAs — especially those between roughly $50 million and $300–$400 million in assets.
The idea came directly from advisors. “Everything we do is through our clients’ eyes,” Gauer said. “Advisors wanted us to help reduce the complexity they face… Advisors want help growing. Organic growth is the topic of the day.”
For advisors moving from employee models to independence, the motivations haven’t changed much over the decades. “It's about autonomy… being captain of my own ship,” she said. “That was present back in the 90s…and I think that's still present today.” What has changed is the sheer volume of choices. “The ecosystem is even more robust than ever, but with that also comes complexity.”
Advisor ProDirect is built to simplify that environment by pairing firms with growth consultants, offering a curated community experience, and helping firms modernize operations and digital capabilities to free up capacity for business development.
While the program debuted for prospective breakaways, Schwab quickly extended it to existing RIAs. The logic was simple: growth matters to both groups.
“The program is designed with the outcome of helping firms grow, and that translates to both audiences,” she said.
Early feedback has been strong. Gauer described a surge of enthusiasm at IMPACT, especially among firms preparing for succession or aiming to build enterprise value. “They see ProDirect as a way to…have us come alongside that next generation and really continue building out their business,” she said.
Looking at the broader RIA landscape, Gauer sees two primary hurdles: talent and growth. “Talent is number one,” she said. “We need to bring talent into this industry to support our advisors.” Growth follows closely behind, which is why ProDirect is anchored in Schwab’s 20-year benchmarking study and its five guiding principles for top-performing firms.
Those who apply those principles show striking results: “Two times the AUM growth…two times the revenue growth, and over two and a half times the client growth” over five years.
With 2025 nearing its close, Gauer is focused on momentum. “I look forward to next year, just really expanding this program, expanding the impact that it has, and continuing to help members reach their dreams,” she said.
For Schwab — and for Gauer — the build is just getting started.
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