What if your success today could quietly sabotage your future, unless you build a plan beyond the next car deal?
In this episode of The Dealer Playbook, I sit down with Tustin Ulrich, General Manager of Roper Kia (one of the most dominant Kia stores in Missouri) and founder of The 1% Effect, a real estate investor concierge designed specifically for high-earning operators who don’t want to lose focus on today while building freedom for tomorrow.
This is not a conversation about selling cars.
This is a conversation about long-term thinking, generational wealth, tax strategy, leverage, and protecting your family’s future, without sacrificing performance in the present.
Tustin shares his deeply personal story, from childhood adversity and financial struggle to building a record-breaking dealership and acquiring over $10M in real estate while paying less than 1% in taxes. He breaks down exactly how high achievers in automotive can use real estate as a strategic tool, not a distraction, to create optionality, time freedom, and legacy.
In This Episode, You’ll Learn:
Timestamps
00:00 Hook Intro — Building wealth without losing today
02:00 Tustin’s story: from struggle to GM
06:30 Why high achievers need a future plan
10:45 The 1% Effect explained
15:30 Real estate, taxes, and leverage (simple breakdown)
22:30 Recession myths vs reality
28:00 Single-family vs multifamily investing
33:30 Living on debt & generational wealth
38:00 How to get started + final takeaway
Who This Episode Is For