Thomas Anderson (born November 8, 1970) is an American technology entrepreneur and the co-founder of the social networking website Myspace, launched in 2003 with Chris DeWolfe. He served as president and later as a strategic adviser for the platform.
Widely recognized as “Tom from Myspace”, “Myspace Tom”, “Tom HSE”, or “My friend, Tom”, he became famous for being automatically added as the first “friend” to new Myspace users’ profiles upon their account creation, making him an iconic figure in social media history.
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Table of Contents
Tom Anderson Net Worth
Tom Anderson has a net worth of $60 million, largely from the Myspace sale to News Corp for $580 million. Before the sale, VantagePoint invested $15.3 million, and Redpoint added $15.5 million in 2005, setting aside 25% equity for six founders, including Anderson and Chris DeWolfe, who each sold $3 million of equity.
Due to a clause, the founders’ payout capped at a $125 million valuation, splitting $30 million. Anderson and DeWolfe each earned $10 million plus $30 million contracts, grossing $40 million overall.
Early life
Thomas Anderson’s father was an entrepreneur. During his teenage years at San Pasqual High in Escondido, California, he was a computer hacker known as “Lord Flathead” and associated with Bill Landreth. His hacking led to an FBI raid after breaching a Chase Manhattan Bank system.
He studied English and rhetoric at the University of California, Berkeley, and was the lead singer of a band called Swank. After graduating, he lived in Taiwan before returning to the U.S. to study film at UCLA.
Career
In 2000, Thomas Anderson met Chris DeWolfe while working as a product tester and copywriter at XDrive, a digital storage company. After XDrive’s bankruptcy in 2001, they co-founded ResponseBase, later sold to eUniverse in 2002. In August 2003, Anderson and eUniverse employees launched Myspace, challenging Friendster’s real-name policy.
Under Intermix Media, Myspace soared in popularity before its 2005 sale to News Corp for $580 million. Anderson served as president until 2009. In 2012, he joined RocketFrog Interactive but later expressed a preference for exploring life’s unknown adventures.
Personal life
Thomas Anderson is active on Facebook, Instagram, and other social media platforms. His interest in photography began at the 2011 Burning Man festival, inspired by friend and photographer Trey Ratcliff, who helped him hone his skills.
Anderson focuses on creating beautiful landscape images and travels globally to places like Thailand and Myanmar. In a 2014 interview, he described his love for diverse pursuits, stating, “Before Myspace, people might’ve thought I’d be a philosophy scholar or musician—I enjoy change and exploring new paths.”
What happened to Tom Anderson?
After stepping away from MySpace, Tom Anderson turned his focus to travel photography. He now leads a life exploring and photographing exotic locations around the world, sharing his experiences on social media platforms like Instagram and Twitter.
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Conclusion
Tom Anderson’s story is one of early success in the digital age, marked by the meteoric rise and evolution of MySpace. His transition from a tech entrepreneur to a travel photographer exemplifies a pursuit of diverse passions, underlined by significant financial achievements in the tech industry.
FAQs about Tom Anderson’s Net Worth
- What was Tom Anderson’s role at MySpace? – He was the co-founder, president, and strategic adviser.
- How did Tom Anderson’s early career shape his success? – His background in English and film, combined with his tech experience, set the stage for MySpace’s creation.
- What is Tom Anderson’s main source of wealth? – The sale of MySpace to News Corp.
- What is Tom Anderson’s current occupation? – He is a travel photographer.
- How has MySpace evolved since its sale? – It has become a platform focused on music and artists, moving away from its original format as a general social networking site.
