Exactly, Stoke have done it the proper way - good management and a solid financial base.
Pulis has built them from next to nothing and they are now a pretty stable Premier League team. To maintain that stability, they have to push on and become ambitious - without destroying themselves financially. Portsmouth were in a similar position a few years back, but they bought utter garbage and loaded themselves with contracts that no-one else would touch. To me, Stoke are the blueprint for any side that has permanent Premier League ambitions.