Barron's Advisor Kelly Gaur: Finding Non-Advisor Roles in Wealth Management | Next Gen
Mar 19, 2026
Kelly Gaur, regional VP and shareholder at Mercer Advisors with roots in private banking, explains how business development roles open pathways into wealth management. She discusses moving from banks to an RIA, why BD-only teams boost advisor capacity, modern outreach through community and hobbies, and the technical skills that accelerate non-advisory careers.
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Career Pivot From Medicine To Wealth Management
- Kelly Gaur shifted from an advisory path after realizing medicine wasn't for her and a mentor introduced her to wealth management.
- She interned at Merrill Lynch, then worked at J.P. Morgan and Citi before pivoting to an RIA for broader client-focused work.
RIA Model Enables Holistic Behavioral Advice
- RIAs offer a more personalized, modern approach allowing advisors to act as behavioral coaches beyond investment picks.
- Kelly says clients now want integrated advice across cash flow, taxes, and emotions, not just stock recommendations.
Split Business Development From Client Service
- Do separate business development from client service to let advisors focus on high-value client work.
- At Mercer Advisors Kelly's sole focus on business development lets advisors spend time 'at the top of their license.'