Sheri Fitts report says trust is moving from institutions to individuals

A new 2026 SWAY + SIGNAL report from Sheri Fitts argues that financial services trust is shifting away from institutions and toward individual professionals. The report says firms that adapt to the change can gain an edge, and Fitts is launching a five-part LinkedIn Live series to discuss the findings.

Why it matters: - Trust is becoming a competitive advantage in financial services, with the report arguing that firms now win by backing the credibility of individual advisors and leaders, not just institutional brands. - The report says humanity is now a measurable growth strategy, which could change how firms think about marketing, advisor development, and client retention. - The findings land as the industry faces low global trust and rising pressure from AI, consolidation, and changing client expectations.

What happened: - Financial services brand strategist and speaker Sheri Fitts released The Trust Transition: Seven Signals Reshaping Financial Services, the 2026 edition of her annual SWAY + SIGNAL report. - The report makes the case that trust no longer sits mainly with institutions. - Instead, trust is shifting to individual professionals inside those firms. - Fitts is also launching a five-part LinkedIn Live series, The Trust Transition: A Live Conversation Series, beginning the week of June 22, 2026. - The series will run weekly on LinkedIn Live.

The details: - The report says global trust in financial services sits near the bottom of the trust range. - The report cites two customer behavior signals: 93% of clients say they would follow their human advisor to a new firm, and 87% of buyers research a professional long before that professional knows they exist. - The report identifies seven signals reshaping the industry: - Trust is moving from institutions to individuals. - Visibility now requires more than expertise and depends on earned attention. - AI is emerging as a copilot rather than a replacement. - Experience must go beyond commodity service. - Culture can determine whether consolidation creates or destroys value. - Wealth, health, and longevity are converging. - Micro-communities are gaining influence. - The report ends with a leadership mandate to move from credential-based authority to character-based influence. - Confirmed guests for the LinkedIn Live series include Joe Pine, author of The Experience Economy and The Transformation Economy. - Other guests include Raenne Lacatena, Freddy Mendoza, Niels Gott, Jefferson Cheshier, Fred Reish, and Nevin Adams. - The report is available at no cost at the Trust Transition page. - The full series schedule and registration details are also available on that page and through Fitts’ LinkedIn.

Between the lines: - The report frames trust as something advisors can earn directly, even when the broader category struggles with credibility. - The emphasis on visibility and micro-communities suggests financial services firms may need to compete in smaller, more personal networks instead of relying only on mass brand recognition. - The AI section signals a middle path: automation may support professionals, but the report does not position technology as a substitute for human judgment. - The culture and consolidation signal implies mergers may create value only when leaders preserve trust inside the organization.

What's next: - Fitts will use the LinkedIn Live series to translate the report’s ideas into practical examples. - Weekly conversations are expected to continue after the launch week of June 22, 2026. - The report’s ideas are likely to circulate through advisors, distributors, and home office leaders as they look for ways to respond to the trust shift.

The bottom line: - The message is blunt: in financial services, the trusted brand is increasingly the person in front of the client.