Yoga Yoga Everywhere

Big changes coming to local donation-based yoga studio Black Swan

If you're a fan of donation-based Black Swan Yoga, expect to see some changes to the studio over the next few months. Onnit, an Austin-based lifestyle and fitness company, announced on Tuesday that it has acquired the beloved studio with hopes to expand its unique, community-oriented practice.

According to a press release, Onnit does not plan to change the structure of the studio, which offers yoga classes based on a donation model. Instead it will add additional fitness classes, supplements and food, and athletic apparel.

"The goal of this acquisition is not to change Black Swan Yoga," said Onnit CEO Aubrey Marcus in a press release. "The goal is to support it with what we do best at Onnit, and bring it to a bigger stage."

In addition to infusing Black Swan studios with Onnit gear, the yoga shop will also play host to Onnit fitness classes. The method, which was developed by Marcus here in Austin, incorporates "unconventional fitness tools and methodologies, incorporating kettlebells, sandbags, maces, steel clubs and more" into the training. (The studio already has "BSY Fit" which is a boot camp-style class followed by a 15-minute yoga practice.) Black Swan classes will also be taught at Onnit's Academy Gym, which is set to open in South Austin later this month.

Black Swan's founder and president Michael Grey hinted that this partnership could mean even bigger things for the studio, which currently has its own online channel along with four locations in Austin and one in Houston.

"We believe that there is more to life than just yoga and if anything yoga only helps make everything in life that much better," Grey said. "The team at Onnit have built an amazing foundation for the teachers at Black Swan to succeed and share this practice with the people of this amazing planet."

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WFH life

Austin plugs in as 2nd cheapest large U.S. city for remote workers

Photo by Lewis Guapo on Unsplash

Working remotely in Austin is far more affordable than many other U.S. cities.

Austin's thriving telework industry is already known for being among the most prominent in the country, and as it turns out, it's one of the most affordable, too. A recent study by online retailer The Perfect Rug has revealed Austin is the No. 2 cheapest U.S. city center for remote work.

The report ranked the top 10 largest U.S. cities based on population data, the number of coworking spaces and cafes per capita, statewide average internet speeds, average apartment rent prices, and more.

Austin falls second to the far west Texas city of El Paso (No. 1), and is followed by Houston in the No. 3 spot.

When it comes to finding the best place to work remotely, Austin has an abundance of options including coffee shops, coworking spaces, and local library branches. According to the report's data, there are about six coworking spaces and 26 cafes per capita in the city, but Austinites know best that there is a much wider variety of places to work from "home" than whatever number a study determines.

The average internet speed in Texas is 425.9 mbps (megabits per second), which is the fourth-highest internet speed out of the six total states (and the District of Columbia) mentioned in the study. Pennsylvania, Washington, and Washington, D.C. all have faster average internet speeds, at 430.8, 451, and 473.8 mpbs, respectively.

The Perfect Rug also calculated the average costs for meals, coffee, and monthly rent in Austin:

$1,467 per month – Average apartment rent cost in central Austin
$21 per hour – Average cost for a desk at a coworking space
$16.99 – Average cost for a meal
$5.36 – Average cost for a coffee

Furthermore, Austin-based remote workers are technically saving on fuel costs compared to those who have to commute into the city daily for their jobs.

A spokesperson for The Perfect Rug said Texas cities like El Paso, Austin, and Houston are far more popular for "budget-conscious" remote workers partially because rent costs are far lower in comparison to many other U.S. cities.

"On the other hand, cities like Washington, D.C., and Seattle, while more expensive, compensate with faster internet speeds and a higher density of workspaces, which can enhance the remote work experience," the spokesperson said. "Finding the right balance between cost and amenities is key for remote workers seeking both productivity and affordability."

Elsewhere in Texas, San Antonio ranked as the fifth most affordable city for teleworkers, followed by Dallas (No. 7).

The top 10 cheapest U.S. cities for remote workers are:

No. 1 – El Paso, Texas
No. 2 – Austin, Texas
No. 3 – Houston, Texas
No. 4 – Seattle, Washington
No. 5 – San Antonio, Texas
No. 6 – Washington, D.C.
No. 7 – Dallas, Texas
No. 8 – Denver, Colorado
No. 9 – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
No. 10 – Nashville, Tennessee

austin reports rankings remote work