Shanna J. Weber of Denver, Colorado, founded Prima Consulting in 2023 with one goal: to revolutionize workplace dynamics, beginning with leadership transformation. She was raised by a single mother and learned the value of perseverance from a young age. Ms. Weber’s mother also instilled in her the importance of giving back to others and having a trusted support network.
Throughout her decades of experience in the financial industry, Ms. Weber took great pride in her personal growth and ability to navigate challenging situations. Now, as the chief executive officer and lead consultant of Prima Consulting, she finds immense fulfillment in leveraging her expertise to help others overcome obstacles and achieve their goals. Her approach to coaching is rooted in maintaining authenticity while pursuing success. To accomplish this, Ms. Weber tailors her methods to everyone she works with, focusing on helping them achieve their own personal definitions of success rather than conforming to corporate America’s standards. She knows how to recognize what matters most to her clients and works to find solutions that emphasize their values rather than imposing her own. Primarily, working with younger generations, she notes that she tries to help underrepresented and underserved individuals break free of societal expectations that are often set by and for White males. Ms. Weber seeks to cultivate genuine, effective leaders who, in turn, build and foster engaged teams. She believes that it is important for all leaders to learn from others, know when to ask for help, be comfortable with their strengths and weaknesses, and never fear innovation.
To prepare for her professional journey, Ms. Weber graduated summa cum laude from Arizona State University W.P. Carey School of Business with a Bachelor of Arts in finance and management in 2001. While still an undergraduate, she began working as a financial analyst in litigation with Arthur Andersen & Co. in Phoenix, Arizona, where she remained until 2002. After a year of experience as a staffing and account manager with Ajilon Finance Solutions, Ms. Weber became a product development manager for Voya Investment Management in 2003 and went on to spend five years with the company. In 2008, she graduated summa cum laude from The University of Arizona Eller College of Management with an Executive Master of Business Administration and transitioned to working for Janus Henderson, where she spent nearly a decade as a director, senior director, and assistant vice president of product strategy and development. In 2015, she was hired by Charles Schwab & Co. as the managing director and head of strategy and product development, later becoming the head of strategy and employment development in 2019.
Remaining committed to her professional development and continuing education, Ms. Weber completed a fostering inclusion certificate at the Yale School of Management and received an executive certification from the SIFMA Securities Industry Institute at The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, in 2021. Following this achievement, Ms. Weber accepted the role of managing director and head of retirement income with the company before concluding her tenure in 2023 as the managing director of corporate strategy. With broad experience and decades of success to her credit, she ventured out on her own to launch Prima Consulting and has not looked back.
For her achievements, Ms. Weber was recognized with an Excellence in Leadership Award by Charles Schwab & Co. Perennially active in the professional community, she joined the Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce in 2024, has been a member of the Colorado Women’s Chamber of Commerce since 2023 and was the latter organization’s chief from 2022 to 2024. Further, she has been co-chair of the Mentorship Committee with the Denver Chapter of Women in ETFs since 2016 and was a founding member and co-head of the chapter from 2016 to 2019. Throughout her life and career, Ms. Weber has been incredibly grateful for the guidance and support of her mother, whom she describes as her biggest cheerleader, and her sister, who pushed her to see the world differently and helped her become a stronger person. In addition, Ms. Weber says her friend, Diane Wein, challenged her to see more in herself and encouraged her to always aim high.
Now a mother herself, Ms. Weber is grateful for her son, whose presence reminds her of the joys of youth. Moreover, she cites the incredible support of her husband, Florian, who stood with her when she decided to leave her secure job to pursue her dreams.