Portfolio Building Strategies
Discover effective approaches to build a resilient and balanced investment portfolio that aligns with your goals.
Core Portfolio Strategies
These fundamental approaches form the backbone of successful investing. Select a style based on your financial goals, risk tolerance, and time horizon.
A strategy that combines a "core" of passive, broadly diversified investments (like index ETFs) with "satellite" positions in specific stocks or sectors for enhanced returns.
Core (60-70%)
Index funds, broad ETFs for market exposure and stability
Satellites (30-40%)
Individual stocks, sector ETFs, or alternative investments for outperformance
Best For:
Investors seeking a balanced approach with controlled risk while still aiming for outperformance
A portfolio approach that concentrates investments at two extremes - very safe assets and higher-risk growth opportunities - while minimizing exposure to middle-ground investments.
Safety End (50-60%)
Cash, high-quality bonds, value stocks with strong dividends
Growth End (40-50%)
Growth stocks, disruptive innovators, emerging markets
Best For:
Investors who want both capital preservation and growth potential while avoiding moderate-risk assets
A strategy focused on diversification across different global markets to reduce country-specific risks and capture growth opportunities worldwide.
Domestic (40-60%)
Stocks and bonds from your home market
International Developed (20-40%)
Europe, Japan, Australia, etc.
Emerging Markets (10-20%)
Faster-growing economies with higher risk/reward
Best For:
Investors looking to reduce home country bias and gain exposure to diverse economic cycles
A systematic approach focusing on specific "factors" that academic research has shown to drive returns over time, such as value, size, momentum, quality, and volatility.
Value Factor (20-30%)
Stocks trading below intrinsic value
Momentum Factor (15-25%)
Stocks showing positive price trends
Quality Factor (20-30%)
Companies with strong balance sheets and stable earnings
Best For:
Data-driven investors who want to systematically target specific return drivers
Universal Strategic Principles
Regardless of which strategy you choose, these principles will help strengthen your portfolio approach.
Quality Over Quantity
Focus on high-quality companies with strong fundamentals rather than accumulating a large number of mediocre positions.
Cost Awareness
Minimize fees, transaction costs, and tax impacts. Even small percentage differences compound significantly over time.
Rebalance Regularly
Review portfolio allocations quarterly and rebalance when they drift significantly from targets to maintain your risk profile.
Long-Term Focus
Maintain discipline through market cycles. The most successful portfolios are built through consistent implementation over time, not timing.