A glamorous fitness influencer called out Los Angeles’ homelessness crisis and safety concerns when she decided to leave the crime-ridden California city for what she describes as a “healthy” environment in Austin, Texas.
Mari Llewellyn, 28, has lived in LA for the past three years and criticized the city for safety concerns when she announced the move to Austin last week during her Pursuit of Wellness Podcast.
The content creator, known for her journey of losing 90 pounds in two years and overcoming depression, expressed her desire to raise children in a safe and healthy city.
‘We want to live somewhere safe, healthy and family-friendly. A place where traffic isn’t a constant hassle and you don’t encounter homeless people throwing bottles in your face,” she said.
Mari Llewellyn, 28, called out Los Angeles’ homelessness crisis and safety concerns when she decided to leave the crime-ridden California city for what she describes as a “healthy” environment in Austin, Texas
After living in LA for the past three years, the fitness influencer slammed the city for safety concerns when she announced the move to Austin last week during her Pursuit of Wellness Podcast
‘We want to live somewhere safe, healthy and family-friendly. A place where traffic isn’t a constant hassle and you don’t encounter homeless people throwing bottles in your face,” she said
The content creator, known for her journey of losing 90 pounds in two years and overcoming depression, expressed her desire to raise children in a safe and healthy city. And she chose Austin, Texas
She also outlined the reasons why she hates LA on her Instagram Stories, listing “safety, the problem of homelessness, the amount of land for the money, the traffic and the Hollywood scene.”
“Overall, we knew LA would be a great place to grow our team and business, but we never wanted to raise our family here,” she wrote.
“Austin feels much more grounded and healthy PLUS a great travel hub and hotspot for people in our industry,” she added.
Indeed, LA has been awash with homelessness and violent crime, as the iconic Walk of Fame has disappointed visitors with its dirty sidewalks and turned away locals who have experienced violent attacks.
California’s wealthiest residents are also packing up their L.A. homes and flocking to states where you can get more bang for your buck and avoid the Golden State’s rampant crime and homelessness crisis.
There was a 9 percent increase in homelessness in Los Angeles County between 2022 and 2023, with the unhoused population now totaling 75,518 people, according to the latest data from the LAHSA.
The reasons behind Llewellyn’s move may extend beyond safety concerns. Nutrabolt, an Austin-based company that produces energy drinks and supplements, recently acquired a 20 percent minority stake in the startup Bloom Nutrition, co-founded by Llewellyn and her husband.
She also outlined the reasons why she hates LA on her Instagram Story, listing: “safety, the problem of homelessness, the amount of land for the money, traffic and the Hollywood scene
The reasons behind Llewellyn’s move may extend beyond safety concerns. Nutrabolt, an Austin-based company that produces energy drinks and supplements, recently acquired a 20 percent minority stake in the startup Bloom Nutrition, co-founded by Llewellyn and her husband.
“We are excited to partner with Nutrabolt to take our company to new heights,” Llewellyn’s husband and CEO of Bloom Gregory LaVecchia (pictured left) said in a statement.
The investment represents a portion of the initial $90 million funding round that Bloom has raised since its founding in 2019, according to the Austin Business Journal.
The investment represents a portion of the initial $90 million funding round that Bloom has raised since its founding in 2019, according to the Austin business magazine.
“We are excited to partner with Nutrabolt to take our company to new heights,” Llewellyn’s husband and CEO of Bloom, Gregory LaVecchia, said in a statement.
“Their expertise and resources as industry leaders will enable us to scale effectively, drive revenue growth and accelerate innovation. This is a big step forward and we couldn’t be more excited to embark on this next phase of growth together.”
There are currently no plans for beverage or product collaborations between Bloom and Nutrabolt, Nutrabolt chairman Doss Cunningham said, adding: “It’s definitely an area we’re keen to explore with the Bloom team.
The startup will keep its offices in LA and London, but some employees will spend time in Austin.
Llewellyn has begun her journey, sharing videos on social media of her and her husband, LaVecchia, driving a van with their two dogs from LA all the way to Austin.
Meanwhile, Llwellyn’s friend and business partner Fiona Attix, Bloom’s executive assistant, also moves to Austin with her partner.
Llewellyn has begun her journey, sharing videos on social media of her and her husband, LaVecchia, driving a van with their two dogs from LA all the way to Austin.
As Llewellyn excitedly explains her plans in Austin, social media users have blasted her decision, saying she’s moving from an “expensive trendy place to the next expensive trendy place.”
Llwellyn chatted with Attix on the podcast last week and said, “If you’re an Austin or Texas girl, let us know. We are currently taking requests for friends.”
“We want to play sports with other girls, we want to get healthy lunches. We want to go hiking around Ladybird Lake. We want to go boating,” she added.
As Llewellyn excitedly explains her plans in Austin, social media users have blasted her decision, saying she’s moving from an “expensive trendy place to the next expensive trendy place.”
One person wrote: ‘I feel like she’s bouncing from ‘trendy’ place to ‘trendy’ place. Girl really doesn’t know who she is, she follows trends literally and figuratively.’
Another person said: ‘I have to admit that between uprooting her entire life to move to a tax haven state and buying a €70,000 converted sprinter van seemingly on a whim to get there, I started to feel that she was no longer recognizable. .’
‘For most people, moving is incredibly stressful, especially if it’s 1,500 miles away. In the meantime, she and Greg are having a fun trip while other people are probably packing her stuff for her,” reads one comment.
