Meet Tom Anderson. At 14, the FBI raided his house for hacking...
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Jan 18, 2025
~3 min read
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Meet Tom Anderson.
At 14, the FBI raided his house for hacking Chase Bank, at 32, he built MySpace, and at 35, he sold it for $580 million.
What happened next? He vanished.
Here’s how he built a $12 billion company & where he is now: 🧵
At 14, the FBI raided his house for hacking Chase Bank, at 32, he built MySpace, and at 35, he sold it for $580 million.
What happened next? He vanished.
Here’s how he built a $12 billion company & where he is now: 🧵
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The story starts in 2003.
Tom Anderson, along with his co-founders Brad Greenspan and Chris DeWolfe, created MySpace.
In just 10 days, they launched the site, and it quickly became the top social network in the world...
Tom Anderson, along with his co-founders Brad Greenspan and Chris DeWolfe, created MySpace.
In just 10 days, they launched the site, and it quickly became the top social network in the world...
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For the next few years, MySpace was on top:
• It had more users than Yahoo or Google.
• It was valued at $12 billion.
• It was the first social network to go global.
For a while, MySpace seemed untouchable.
But then things started to change…
• It had more users than Yahoo or Google.
• It was valued at $12 billion.
• It was the first social network to go global.
For a while, MySpace seemed untouchable.
But then things started to change…
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In 2005, MySpace was bought by News Corp for over $580 million.
That deal tripled its value in one year, and MySpace entered the big leagues.
• By 2006, it reached 100 million users.
• They signed a massive $900 million deal with Google.
But despite all this, problems were starting to show…
That deal tripled its value in one year, and MySpace entered the big leagues.
• By 2006, it reached 100 million users.
• They signed a massive $900 million deal with Google.
But despite all this, problems were starting to show…
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In 2005, Mark Zuckerberg offered to sell Facebook to MySpace for $75 million, but they turned it down.
By 2008, Facebook had passed MySpace in traffic, and MySpace’s decline was set...
By 2008, Facebook had passed MySpace in traffic, and MySpace’s decline was set...
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MySpace’s biggest mistake came when they doubled down on ads to make money from their deal with Google...
• The site got flooded with ads, poor design, and bugs.
• It was soon called the “ghetto of the internet.”
As Facebook grew, MySpace’s problems got worse.
• The site got flooded with ads, poor design, and bugs.
• It was soon called the “ghetto of the internet.”
As Facebook grew, MySpace’s problems got worse.
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By 2009, MySpace had lost over 40 million users and couldn’t keep up with Facebook anymore.
• Investors and advertisers fled.
• The site became a ghost town.
MySpace tried to shift to music with MySpace Music, but it was too late.
• Investors and advertisers fled.
• The site became a ghost town.
MySpace tried to shift to music with MySpace Music, but it was too late.
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Here’s why it failed:
It focused too much on music and didn’t adapt to being a bigger social network.
While Facebook moved forward, MySpace stayed stuck:
It focused too much on music and didn’t adapt to being a bigger social network.
While Facebook moved forward, MySpace stayed stuck:
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Now, MySpace is just a music site, mostly forgotten.
It shows that no company, no matter how big, is safe from failure (especially in tech).
The internet moves fast, and if you can’t keep up, you’ll be left behind...
It shows that no company, no matter how big, is safe from failure (especially in tech).
The internet moves fast, and if you can’t keep up, you’ll be left behind...
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But here’s the surprising part:
Tom Anderson, the face of MySpace, vanished after selling the company.
He went from famous to unknown.
After selling MySpace for $580 million, Tom stayed a few years, but by 2009, he was gone…
Tom Anderson, the face of MySpace, vanished after selling the company.
He went from famous to unknown.
After selling MySpace for $580 million, Tom stayed a few years, but by 2009, he was gone…
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After leaving MySpace, Tom reinvented himself.
He bought land, built houses, and focused on architecture.
Then, at Burning Man, he discovered photography.
He traveled the world, but never sought fame or money from it...
He bought land, built houses, and focused on architecture.
Then, at Burning Man, he discovered photography.
He traveled the world, but never sought fame or money from it...
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Tom proves that success isn’t about holding on to the past.
He found peace away from tech.
Now, he’s living life his way.
Did he make the right moves?
He found peace away from tech.
Now, he’s living life his way.
Did he make the right moves?
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Thanks for reading! A few words about me:
I dropped out of uni at 18 and built an X ghostwriting business, generating $1.5M+ for clients and 500M+ impressions in just 1.5 years.
Make sure to follow me @yourgwriter for more brain-expanding threads.
Have a blessed day!
I dropped out of uni at 18 and built an X ghostwriting business, generating $1.5M+ for clients and 500M+ impressions in just 1.5 years.
Make sure to follow me @yourgwriter for more brain-expanding threads.
Have a blessed day!
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Before you scroll:
If you’re a CEO or founder struggling to build & monetize your X account, DM me the word “grow.”
I’ll help you solve the issue within 48 hours using my results-based formula.
See you soon!
If you’re a CEO or founder struggling to build & monetize your X account, DM me the word “grow.”
I’ll help you solve the issue within 48 hours using my results-based formula.
See you soon!