Ask Susan!

Dear Susan: Since we’re talking Style this month, what’s your ‘Stiles Investing Style’ for a smart-looking portfolio?”

For those who prefer to watch and listen (click video) Susan will take you through:
“The World According to GARP.”

“Ask Susan” Transcript — September: Style Edition

Hi there! I’m Susan Stiles, Founder and President of Stiles Financial Services. Welcome to this month’s Ask Susan—my column in City Lifestyle where we tackle smart questions about investing, planning, and building the kind of financial future that truly fits your life.

This month’s question really made me smile. Someone asked:

“Since we’re talking Style this month, what’s your ‘Stiles Investing Style’ for a smart-looking portfolio?”

Well… I love that. Because it’s not just a fun play on words—it’s actually a really important financial question.

At Stiles Financial, our investing style is something called GARP, which stands for Growth at a Reasonable Price.

That means finding companies that are growing steadily with solid long-term potential, but that aren’t overpriced or caught up in hype. These are businesses innovating, expanding, and creating real value—yet still trading at what we’d consider a reasonable, even attractive, price.

We’re not buying the buzz—we’re buying the fundamentals.

And I’ll tell you what it feels like. It’s like walking into a boutique—or even a well-curated thrift store—and finding theperfect outfit. It’s high quality, timeless, fits like it was made for you… and it’s on sale. That’s GARP: something truly valuable, without overpaying for it.

It’s a strategy that helps us balance risk and reward, and it’s proven to be a powerful approach for long-term financial success—especially when markets get choppy.

Over the past 25 years, I’ve had the privilege of guiding families and businesses through all kinds of market conditions. And one thing has remained true:

Your investing style should match your life—not just the latest headlines.

Because here’s the thing: markets are always moving. There will always be a trendy stock, a buzzy sector, or a big story dominating the news. But none of that should distract from what matters most—your goals, your values, and your timeline.

Many people that know me know that on e of my favorite Aesop’s fable is the Tortoise and the Hare.  I have philosophically built this business on that foundation and everything we do is threaded with the methodical tortoise in mind.

That’s why we believe in thoughtful, customized investing. It’s not about chasing the market. It’s about creating a plan that supports who you are and where you’re going.

If you’d like to dive deeper into what GARP could mean for your portfolio—or to explore what investing strategy best fits you—reach out to us. We’d love to help.

Thanks for joining me for this month’s Ask Susan. I’ll see you in October.

– Susan