This article is part of our Rising Stars Portfolios series.

Diversity is the key. That's what we've been taught, right? I, for one, believe it works, and that's why I'm building my Rising Stars portfolio around the very concept of gaining exposure to all kinds of stocks. From small caps to large caps, global and domestic, value, growth, dividend stocks and everything in between, I am looking forward to stomping the S&P 500 with my motley portfolio.

Just look at my first two buys: The first is a global gaming powerhouse in Activision Blizzard (Nasdaq: ATVI), which holds a 6% position in the portfolio. And the second is a small-cap Georgia-based bank in Ameris Bancorp (Nasdaq: ABCB), which I think is poised for bigger days ahead. The two couldn't be more different, and that's just the way I like it.

There are four points I like to consider when looking at any potential investment:

  1. I want management I can trust. They need to be in it to win it, and they need to be honest.
  2. I want something that is understandable and that I can enjoy following.
  3. I want a catalyst -- a short-term event or long-term trend that will help create value.
  4. I want a fair price. Enough said.

This is my list of demands. To be sure, these four don't necessarily seal the deal, but they sure do help. There are plenty of companies out there that meet these criteria, and I'm going to find them. Joining me for the ride is easy enough, too. Check out my Rising Stars home page and join in on any number of topics on my discussion board. And the excitement doesn't end there either; you can even follow me on Twitter. Fool on!

This article is part of our Rising Stars Portfolios series, where we give some of our most promising stock analysts cold, hard cash to manage on the Fool's behalf. We'd like you to track our performance and benefit from these real-money, real-time free stock picks. Click here to see all of our Rising Stars analysts (and their portfolios).