1
STARTUP
STORIES
Notes
from
Founders:
Metail
'I was tired of working for other people'
I worked for other people for almost
20 years, including big names such as
Three, Sportal and Warner Bros. By 2006,
I was fed up of working for massive
organizations – I wanted to build my own
tech business.
I took a job with Inspired Gaming Group
(IGG) to develop my skills before going
it alone. I worked all day taking projects
from concept to completion, then I'd
manage casino servers at night. I'd get an
hour or so of sleep, shower, then do it all
again. I worked really hard, but it wasn't
reflected in my pay, so I didn't see any of
the wealth I'd created. It convinced me I
was skilled at operations management,
tech development and wealth creation,
giving me the confidence that I could build
a successful startup.
Transforming
online
shopping
experiences
Metail takes some of the guesswork out of online shopping,
as it allows consumers to try clothes on virtually before they
buy. By using advanced technology that digitizes clothing for
different body shapes and sizes, shoppers can see how clothes
look on a model or create their own 'MeModel'. Not only is
Metail making online shopping easier and more personal for
consumers, it's also helping reduce purchase return rates.
In 10 years, Metail has grown from a bootstrapped startup
to a global business. It's worked with brands such as Tesco,
Warehouse, House of Holland and Zalando and has raised $30
million in funding.
Inspired
by
his
wife's
dislike
of
trying
on
clothes
in
over-heated
changing
rooms,
Tom
Adeyoola
set
about
creating
a
garment
visualization
plug-in
for
clothing
websites.
This
was
back
in
2008.
Today,
Metail
has
customers
across
Europe,
Asia
and
America.
Tom
lives
near
Metail's
head
office
in
London
with
his
wife
and
two
young
children.
Tom
Adeyoola
Founder
of
Metail
