The Millennial generation might be fully accustomed to the world of Facebook (and younger social media platforms) now. But just about every single twenty-something and even those in their early thirties can remember the friendly smile from Tom, your first friend on Myspace, inviting you to bring your friendships online.
Myspace was just barely before its time. The platform was responsible for helping pioneer the world we now call “social media.” Back then, the idea of communicating with friends online was in its infancy, right alongside the hours spent in AOL’s Instagram Messenger. But Myspace founder, Tom Anderson, clearly saw something no one else did—and cashed out for a cool $580 million.
Tom is now retired but he spends his days growing his Facebook and Instagram pages, traveling the world, and taking dope pictures.
Needless to say, he’s living the life.
Apparently, this is what you do when you’re a multi-millionaire before the age of 40. You see the Northern Lights, you camp out in the mountains, you sit by the ocean, you get lost in the forest, and you hold Instagram contests where people can fly out and chill with you in exotic locations.
About his passion for photography, he said, “I first picked up a camera at Burning Man. I wasn’t taking it all that seriously, I just wanted to document the wild scene. But when I loaded the photos onto my computer, I was hooked.”
You can’t deny that Myspace Tom has an eye for the art. His 7 million+ followers across multiple platforms is a testament to his stunning landscapes and creative portraits. I’m fairly certain this is exactly what “stuntin’ on your haters” looks like, in photo form. It’s a genius way to get people’s attention. It works especially well on his Instagram page.
Tom went on to share that photography is what has kept his passion for travel alive.
“Living on the road isn’t always as exciting as it might seem. I have multiple homes in multiple cities, and they’re sitting empty while I travel. But the photography drives the travel. I want to keep creating, and I’m not satisfied just staying at home,” he said.
Yeah, I’d be bored sitting at home in my mansion in Hawaii too.
Well, Tom, props to you. You’re living the dream I’m pretty certain every single person (Millennials especially) would want for themselves: build a social media platform, sell it for $580 million, and spend the rest of your life seeing the world through the lens of a camera—and then sharing it all on Instagram with hundreds of thousands of followers.
You win.