Survival during trying times. You’ve got to be flexible.

If there is one thing that the year 2020 has taught Aaron Safier, it is the value of learning a new way of living and of working.

The COVID-19 crisis has thrown business as usual out the window. Gone are the days when strict lines were drawn between the interaction of business and family life.

“My clients often have their children on their laps or running around in the background,” he said with a knowing chuckle because it has happened at his house too. “That is just part of the new reality of life and work amidst this pandemic.”

And that is more than okay, he said.

Being mindful that working from home means those inevitable “family-oriented” interruptions will make the completion of certain “business-oriented” tasks take more time, he said. Yet, there are positive aspects to consider.

“I think for myself and my clients, coming out of this pandemic, we will have more balance in our lives having been able to spend this quality time with our families,” he said.

That notion supports the mission of his planning firm, Sapphire Wealth Advisory Group based in New York, New York, where the goal is to provide every client with a “flawless” level of service and commitment rivaling that of nature’s process to create a sapphire from the mineral corundum. A client’s current financial situation is like corundum – by combining time with the right set of circumstances, it has potential to transform into a gem.

Circumstances are certainly “right” now in Safier’s view as he sees people rethinking their health and wealth priorities. This global event has led to more business, not less, he said, while referrals from current clients provide Safier and his team with increased opportunities.


Those uncertain times and that reality check also come with a renewed emphasis regarding the importance of the type of specialized planning Safier employs versus the use of a cookie cutter approach or the directions in a checklist found online at a robo-advising site.

The human touch is key to guiding clients to the right financial choices – it is what allows us to educates clients to help make these choices, Safier said,

“Very often we will hear from a client that tells us what their friend or coworker is doing in their financial situation and it might sound very good,” Safier said. “But very often, it could be a disaster for our client and their situation even though it is working for someone else. Our job is to find what works for our client.”

To learn more about Sapphire Wealth Advisory Group: visit: sapphirewealthbuilders.com