The Foundational Stock list is definitely where the vast majority of Premium members start. Some own 6, some own 8 some even own all 11. I personally own 7.
You'll actually notice that throughout the model portfolios, they contain many Foundational Stocks as well. For example, our Mid-Stage Moderate portfolio has Granite REIT, Couche-Tard, Telus, Fortis etc.
The portfolios are designed to target different stages of investment stages in terms of overall risk. This is done primarily through the allocation of fixed income but also in the way the stocks are purchased as well. For example, the Early Stage Aggressive is essentially pure equities, with only 5% weighting towards fixed income while the Mid Stage Aggressive has a 20% fixed income weighting.
But the Early Stage Aggressive does also take a much more aggressive approach to the stocks in the portfolio, taking on more risk with pure-growth plays. This is why you'll see the Early Stage Aggressive yielding only 1.40%, while the Mid Stage Aggressive yields over 2%.
We don't exactly know what "stage" any individual is at. If you are 42 and just starting out, technically you'd still be very much in the early stage. If you're 42 and have been building up a portfolio for the last 10-15 years, the Mid Stage Portfolios may be more appropriate as they cater to a more risk averse/shorter investment time horizon.
Overall though, don't discount any of the portfolios simply because of the name. There may be some investors in their 50's who are more than happy taking on the risks of a more aggressive portfolio. Find one you like and utilize it! Keep in mind, these DON'T have to be carbon copied either. They are called "model" portfolios for a reason, they're meant to be modeled after. We have plenty of members who don't like stock ABC, so they choose stock XYZ instead.
Any other questions, let me know.