What Stiles Financial Services does

Stiles Financial Services, Inc. is an independent, fee-only SEC-registered investment adviser founded in 1999 by Susan Stiles and headquartered in Minnesota. The firm operates with a team of approximately 12 professionals and provides three core service lines: Private Wealth Management for high-net-worth individuals and families, 401(k) Plan Consulting for business owners (including support for the Minnesota Secure Choice mandate), and Institutional Portfolio Services. Investment selection follows a proprietary GARP (Growth at Reasonable Price) philosophy applied to individually selected securities based on client goals and risk tolerance. There is no proprietary technology platform; the offering is delivered through traditional advisory relationships, supported by a content engine comprising the weekly Financial Flash Report (YouTube and Spotify), the monthly Ask Susan column syndicated across three City Lifestyle magazines, and email newsletters.

The business model is subscription-style recurring fee-based advisory compensation, billed annually, with no sales quotas, required product providers, or revenue targets influencing client recommendations. Go-to-market is consultative and direct-to-client: initial consultations are positioned as a high-touch hospitality experience, with lead generation driven by the content engine, referrals, and community visibility through local chamber and magazine activity. The firm holds no parent company, no institutional investors, and has stated no intent to sell or merge. It was recognized by Newsweek and USA Today as a Top Financial Advisory Firm for 2026 and is one of only three Minnesota firms to receive the full 5-star ranking.

Name

Stiles Financial Services

Legal name

Stiles Financial Services, Inc.

Website

https://stilesfinancial.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Stiles Financial Services is an independent, fee-only SEC-registered RIA in Minnesota, serving high-net-worth individuals and families with private wealth management, 401(k) plan consulting for business owners, and institutional portfolio services through a 12-person team.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Wealth Management Services

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive/Full-Service RIAs & Independent Wealth Managers (FSAAACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Portfolio Management–Led RIAs (Discretionary/Model-Based) (FSAAACAC), Retirement & Distribution Planning RIAs (401(k)/IRA/Pension Rollovers) (FSAAACAE), Fee-Only Advisory (FSAEAAAL)

Keywords

• Wealth management services
• Retirement planning
• Investment advisory
• 401(k) consulting
• Financial planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Minneapolis

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Fee-Based Investment Advisory: Independent, fee-only registered investment advisor compensation model. Firm manages client portfolios directly, selecting individual securities based on each client's personalized goals and risk tolerance. No sales quotas, required providers, or revenue targets influence client service.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Stiles Financial Services is an independent, fee-only registered investment advisor (RIA) and SEC-registered investment adviser based in Minnesota. The firm delivers personalized private wealth management for high-net-worth individuals and families, 401(k) plan consulting for employer-sponsored retirement programs, and institutional portfolio services for institutional clients. As a fiduciary, it selects individual securities and builds portfolios tailored to each client's goals, risk tolerance, and tax situation using a Growth at a Reasonable Price (GARP) investment philosophy.

Product overview

Stiles Financial Services is an independent, fee-based registered investment advisor and SEC-registered investment adviser based in Minnesota, operating as a fiduciary. The firm offers a unified suite of financial advisory services centered on Private Wealth Management, 401(k) Plan Consulting, and Institutional Portfolio Services. These core service offerings are complemented by educational content products including the Financial Flash Report (a weekly video series) and the Ask Susan Column (a monthly magazine column with video companion). The firm is recognized by Newsweek and USA Today as a Top Financial Advisory Firm for 2026.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Private Wealth Management Comprehensive financial advisory service for high-net-worth individuals and families, providing personalized investment strategies, retirement planning, estate planning coordination, tax-efficient investing, and wealth management tailored to each client's goals and risk tolerance.
• 401(k) Plan Consulting Retirement plan consulting service for businesses and employers, helping them design, implement, and manage 401(k) programs for their employees, including plan selection, fiduciary governance, and compliance support with mandates such as Minnesota Secure Choice.
• Institutional Portfolio Services Portfolio management and advisory service for institutional clients, including investment policy development, asset allocation strategy, ongoing portfolio monitoring, and analytics.

Quantifiable outcome

• Recognized as Top Financial Advisory Firm 2026 by Newsweek and USA Today
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• H&H Company (Jay Hunsberger)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 March 2026Collaboration with Jay Hunsberger, co-founder and principal of H&H Company, for philanthropy and charitable giving strategy discussions. Joint presentation on thoughtful giving strategies and philanthropic planning as part of the Financial Flash Report educational content series.
• Edina Chamber of CommerceminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 March 2026Guest speaker partnership at Edina Chamber of Commerce Business Bites events. Presentation on AI for small businesses to local business leaders as part of community engagement and thought leadership marketing.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Mariner Wealth Advisors: Large national RIA platform offering private wealth, retirement plan, and institutional advisory services — directly comparable to Stiles' three core service lines but at far greater scale, with significant PE backing from Kelso.
• Creative Planning: National fee-only RIA providing comprehensive wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and institutional services — closely comparable service mix to Stiles with a similar fiduciary, fee-only philosophy but at substantially greater AUM and geographic reach.
• Carson Group: Large RIA and coaching platform providing wealth management, retirement plan, and institutional advisory services to advisors and end clients — comparable service mix but operating through a much larger affiliated advisor network.
• Edelman Financial Engines: Large national RIA offering wealth management and employer-sponsored 401(k) plan advisory services — directly comparable across both Stiles' HNW wealth and 401(k) consulting lines, but at vastly greater scale.

Direct peers

• Buckingham Strategic Wealth: Fee-only fiduciary RIA offering evidence-based financial planning and wealth management to HNW clients — directly comparable in service philosophy, fee-only structure, and target client profile to Stiles' Private Wealth Management practice.
• Cresset Capital: Boutique multi-family office and RIA serving HNW families with personalized wealth management, estate planning, and institutional services — directly comparable high-touch, relationship-driven model targeting similar clientele to Stiles.
• Moneta Group: Fee-only RIA serving HNW families and business owners with comprehensive financial planning, retirement, and institutional advisory services — closely comparable service portfolio, fee-only model, and HNW client focus.
• Beacon Pointe Advisors: Fee-only RIA providing private wealth management, retirement plan consulting, and institutional advisory services — directly comparable three-line service model to Stiles with similar fee-only fiduciary positioning.
• Segall Bryant & Hamill: Independent, employee-owned investment firm offering wealth management, institutional portfolio management, and retirement plan consulting — closely comparable fee-based, independent RIA structure with overlapping service lines.

Emerging players

• Cornerstone Wealth Group: Mid-sized fee-only RIA providing personalized financial planning and investment management to HNW individuals and families — comparable boutique RIA positioning, though operating in a different regional market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@StilesFinancial
• Xx.com/stilessusan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Stiles Financial Services