EPISODE · Apr 10, 2026 · 40 MIN
#118 Suze Yalof Schwartz: Unplug, Secular Meditation for Busy Minds and Better Sleep
from PreVetted Podcast · host Federico Ramallo
Suze Yalof Schwartz is the Founder and CEO of Unplug, a secular meditation studio in Los Angeles and a global meditation app built for busy people who feel stressed, anxious, distracted, overwhelmed, or unable to sleep. In this conversation, Suze shares how a simple three minute breathing exercise taught by her mother in law changed her life and sparked her 2012 quest to make meditation easy and practical for modern skeptics. She reflects on her previous career in fashion media, including years at Glamour and work with Vogue, Elle, and Marie Claire, and how that fast paced lifestyle kept her stuck in constant busyness instead of the present moment.Suze explains what secular meditation means at Unplug and why it does not need to be tied to religion or spirituality. She breaks meditation down into a simple loop: breathe, let go, notice the mind wandering, and come back. She also discusses why you cannot mute thoughts, only drown them out, and how meditation helps you pause, observe your thinking, and choose a better response instead of running on autopilot. Federico connects the ideas to athletic performance, mistakes, and staying present under pressure.The episode also goes deep on product and behavior design. Suze describes building the Unplug app so an 87 year old could open it and instantly know what to do, focusing on a positive quote, a short daily check in, gratitude, and a one tap meditation of the day. She talks about why most people use only a small part of an app, why simplicity matters, and how Apple entrepreneur camp reinforced the importance of beauty and ease of use. For advanced users, Unplug offers a timer for unguided sessions, soundscapes, and deeper courses and masterclasses. The conversation covers what people search for most, including sleep, stress, and anxiety, plus some surprising requests like meditating with your dog and meditations for breastfeeding and libido.About Suze Yalof Schwartz:- https://www.unplug.com/- https://www.instagram.com/unplugmeditation/About Federico Ramallo ✨👨💻🌎🚀 Software Engineering Manager | 🛠 Founder of DensityLabs.io & PreVetted.ai | 🤝 Connecting 🇺🇸 U.S. teams with top nearshore 🌎 LATAM engineers- 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/framallo/- 🌐 https://densitylabs.io- ✅ https://prevetted.ai🎙 PreVetted Podcast 🎧📡- 🎯 https://prevetted.ai/podcast- 🐦 https://x.com/PrevettedPod- 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/prevetted-podcast00:00 Introduction to Unplugged and Its Mission01:42 Suze's Journey from Fashion to Meditation03:39 The Importance of Being Present07:26 Understanding Secular Meditation09:02 Overcoming Skepticism in Meditation15:49 Common Mistakes for Beginners22:01 Features of the Unplugged App22:57 Simplifying Meditation with the Unplugged App26:13 Features for Beginners and Advanced Users28:12 Meditation for Every Challenge31:03 Transitioning from Fashion to Wellness32:31 The Value of Paid Wellness Programs34:16 Engaging Wellness Programs for Employees36:36 The Importance of Mental Health38:30 Advice for Aspiring Founders
What this episode covers
Suze Yalof Schwartz is the Founder and CEO of Unplug, a secular meditation studio in Los Angeles and a global meditation app built for busy people who feel stressed, anxious, distracted, overwhelmed, or unable to sleep. In this conversation, Suze shares how a simple three minute breathing exercise taught by her mother in law changed her life and sparked her 2012 quest to make meditation easy and practical for modern skeptics. She reflects on her previous career in fashion media, including years at Glamour and work with Vogue, Elle, and Marie Claire, and how that fast paced lifestyle kept her stuck in constant busyness instead of the present moment.Suze explains what secular meditation means at Unplug and why it does not need to be tied to religion or spirituality. She breaks meditation down into a simple loop: breathe, let go, notice the mind wandering, and come back. She also discusses why you cannot mute thoughts, only drown them out, and how meditation helps you pause, observe your thinking, and choose a better response instead of running on autopilot. Federico connects the ideas to athletic performance, mistakes, and staying present under pressure.The episode also goes deep on product and behavior design. Suze describes building the Unplug app so an 87 year old could open it and instantly know what to do, focusing on a positive quote, a short daily check in, gratitude, and a one tap meditation of the day. She talks about why most people use only a small part of an app, why simplicity matters, and how Apple entrepreneur camp reinforced the importance of beauty and ease of use. For advanced users, Unplug offers a timer for unguided sessions, soundscapes, and deeper courses and masterclasses. The conversation covers what people search for most, including sleep, stress, and anxiety, plus some surprising requests like meditating with your dog and meditations for breastfeeding and libido.About Suze Yalof Schwartz:- https://www.unplug.com/- https://www.instagram.com/unplugmeditation/About Federico Ramallo ✨👨💻🌎🚀 Software Engineering Manager | 🛠 Founder of DensityLabs.io & PreVetted.ai | 🤝 Connecting 🇺🇸 U.S. teams with top nearshore 🌎 LATAM engineers- 💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/framallo/- 🌐 https://densitylabs.io- ✅ https://prevetted.ai🎙 PreVetted Podcast 🎧📡- 🎯 https://prevetted.ai/podcast- 🐦 https://x.com/PrevettedPod- 🔗 https://www.linkedin.com/company/prevetted-podcast00:00 Introduction to Unplugged and Its Mission01:42 Suze's Journey from Fashion to Meditation03:39 The Importance of Being Present07:26 Understanding Secular Meditation09:02 Overcoming Skepticism in Meditation15:49 Common Mistakes for Beginners22:01 Features of the Unplugged App22:57 Simplifying Meditation with the Unplugged App26:13 Features for Beginners and Advanced Users28:12 Meditation for Every Challenge31:03 Transitioning from Fashion to Wellness32:31 The Value of Paid Wellness Programs34:16 Engaging Wellness Programs for Employees36:36 The Importance of Mental Health38:30 Advice for Aspiring Founders
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#118 Suze Yalof Schwartz: Unplug, Secular Meditation for Busy Minds and Better Sleep
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