He also attracted a lot of envy. The main idea of the Million Dollar Homepage (selling pixels) was something anyone could have done. But Tew was the first to do it, which left a lot of people wondering why they didn’t think of it first.
Fast-forward 11 years and Tew is still doing things differently than most — and very differently than he was back in 2005. Today, he lives in San Francisco, far from his roots in southwest England, and is founder and CEO of start-up Calm, which offers a mobile app by the same name with numerous narrated relaxation and meditation programs designed to help relax and calm the user’s mind. The app also features visuals and audio of streams, rainstorms and waves.
“It’s kind of like having a sanctuary in your pocket,” Tew says.
The app is free, but users can choose to upgrade to a monthly, yearly or lifetime subscription, which gives them access to more guided meditations and options.