In this episode of Building Unbreakable Brands, host Meghan Lynch sits down with Jen Traeger, second-generation leader of United Skates of America and certified family business coach. Jen shares the fascinating story of how her family grew the company into the world’s largest roller skating brand while building wealth through a strategic real estate model. From navigating leadership transitions to fostering an ownership mindset among employees, Jen offers candid insights on sustaining a family business across generations—and why success means more than staying in the rink.
Key Topics Discussed
- Building a generational business model – How United Skates of America scaled from a single rink to a nationwide brand by pairing operational growth with strategic real estate acquisition.
- Leadership transitions with intention – Why the Traeger family chose non-family CEOs and how that decision fueled company success.
- Cultivating an ownership mentality – Teaching financial literacy and transparency at every level of the organization.
- Balancing family values with business needs – How empathy, trust, and treating employees like family shaped a strong workplace culture.
- The role of real estate in long-term profitability – Leveraging property ownership to provide stability and reinvestment opportunities.
- Succession planning with grace – Lessons from moving leadership from Gen 1 to Gen 2 and preparing for the next chapter.
Connect with Jen Traeger on LinkedIn or visit execfamilybusinesscoach.com
Building Unbreakable Brands is hosted by Meghan Lynch
Produced by Six-Point Strategy
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Male Room with Dr. Jesse Mills
As Director of The Men’s Clinic at UCLA, Dr. Jesse Mills has spent his career helping men understand their bodies, their hormones, and their health. Now he’s bringing that expertise to The Male Room — a podcast where data-driven medicine meets common sense. Each episode separates fact from hype, science from snake oil, and gives men the tools to live longer, stronger, and happier lives. With candor, humor, and real-world experience from the exam room and the operating room, Dr. Mills breaks down the latest health headlines, dissects trends, and explains what actually works — and what doesn’t. Smart, straightforward, and entertaining, The Male Room is the show that helps men take charge of their health without the jargon.