473 Meditation That Works for Anyone with Suze Yalof Schwartz

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: Lewis Howes interviews Susie Yalof Schwartz about her pivot from top fashion editor and TV makeover expert to founder of Unplug Meditation. She shares how a simple three-minute breathing practice changed her life, why she built a more accessible meditation model, how she used press and packaging to grow the business, and why meditation should be reframed as a practical tool for stress relief, focus, and performance.

Main Topics: From fashion to meditation entrepreneur (Priority: 5/5): Susie recounts her career at Vogue, Elle, Marie Claire, and Glamour, plus her TV makeover work, before leaving fashion after moving from New York to Los Angeles and discovering meditation. Why meditation needed a makeover (Priority: 5/5): She explains her frustration with meditation being inconvenient, overly spiritual, or time-consuming, and describes her mission to make it fast, mainstream, and accessible for busy skeptics. The universal structure of meditation (Priority: 5/5): Susie argues that all meditation styles share a core pattern: focus on one point, let go/expand into the present, notice the wandering mind, and return to focus. Building and marketing Unplug Meditation (Priority: 4/5): She describes launching the first U.S. meditation studio, how an intro offer helped solve early attendance problems, and how media coverage from outlets like Vogue and the New York Times accelerated growth. Who meditation is for and why it matters (Priority: 5/5): Susie and Lewis discuss meditation as useful for everyone—athletes, CEOs, kids, people with anxiety, and those in pain—because it reduces stress and improves presence. Science, performance, and daily practice (Priority: 4/5): They discuss brain benefits, anti-aging claims, improved focus under pressure, and practical techniques like a traffic meditation and short daily breathing routines. Gratitude, optimism, and life philosophy (Priority: 3/5): The conversation closes with Susie’s gratitude for her husband and her optimistic worldview, plus her three truths: go for it, everything will be okay, and have fun.

Key Arguments: Meditation can be made simple and non-intimidating by reducing it to a few repeatable steps and short time commitments. A core meditation method exists across styles: focus, release/expand, notice distraction, and return to focus. Stress is a major modern problem, and meditation is positioned as a direct tool for deleting stress and improving calm. Meditation is for everyone because anyone who breathes can practice it; it should start in schools to help kids manage anxiety. Good branding, design, and press matter for early-stage wellness businesses; mainstream media helped Unplug gain legitimacy and traffic. Short, practical offerings such as intro deals and app-based access make meditation more approachable for skeptical beginners. Meditation supports peak performance in sports and leadership by improving presence, clarity, and decision-making. Lewis argues that meditation is essential for optimal living, not optional, because it helps people handle conflict and pursue goals without being overwhelmed.

Data Points: Episode number: 473 - School of Greatness episode featuring Susie Yalof Schwartz Years at Glamour magazine: 14.5 years - Susie’s long tenure before leaving fashion Children: 3 - Susie repeatedly references being a mom of three Year moved to Los Angeles: 2010 - Susie relocated from New York to LA Time between idea and studio opening: Nov 2012 to Apr 2014 - She thought of the studio concept in late 2012 and opened in 2014 Studio teachers: about 36 - Susie says Unplug has around 36 teachers Monthly visits: about 5,500 visits a month - Current studio traffic figure she shares Members: over 300 members - Membership base at the time of the interview Classes/offer length: 1-month unlimited for $40 - Intro offer that helped convert visitors into regular students App availability: 35 countries - Unplug app was being used in 35 countries after launch Book translations: 14 languages - She says the book would be published internationally in 14 languages Meditation practice in study: 28 minutes a day for 8 weeks - Lewis and Susie discuss a brain study involving older adults Age threshold in study: over 55 - The meditation brain-sharpness study cited on the show Brain peak age mentioned: 25 - They reference the brain being at peak around age 25 before decline

Pivotal Quotes: "Don't downgrade your dreams to match your reality, upgrade your belief to match your dreams." — Lewis Howes: Shared while reading the review of the week and framing the episode’s motivational theme "If you can breathe, you can meditate." — Susie Yalof Schwartz: Susie’s core argument that meditation is universally accessible "Go for it. Two, everything's gonna be okay. And three, don't forget to have fun." — Susie Yalof Schwartz: Her three truths at the end of the interview

Implications: The episode frames meditation as a practical, mainstream performance tool rather than a niche spiritual practice. For listeners and the wellness industry, it suggests growth comes from simplicity, accessibility, and strong branding.