How Ryan Channing turned charcoal into skincare gold

Ryan Channing transformed a humble piece of charcoal into a multi-million-dollar company before establishing two more businesses – all before he’d turned 30.

Skincare company BLAQ was launched in 2016 following a trip to Japan where Channing discovered the benefits of activated charcoal in skincare. Two years later, the entrepreneur created his second brand, Generation Clay, which uses unique Australian ingredients and saw A$5.2 million in sales for its first year.

"If you live by the rules of being self-motivated, driven and focused, you have an easy route to fast track success," – Ryan Channing

The popular products, which include face masks, scrubs and toothpastes, established a cult following on social media – one of the secrets to its business success.

"Since day one we have focused on a social media strategy to launch both brands, seeding our product to influencers around the world and maximising our direct communication with our target market," Channing told The CEO Magazine . "I invested a lot of time into understanding and researching our markets."

It’s a strategy that worked; BLAQ and Generation Clay turned over A$9 million in the last financial year and increased sales by 316%.

"Originality is key in a very saturated market," Channing says. "Consumers know what’s original and they love authenticity.

"I have always been a believer that the effort and energy you put into the business is what you really get out of it."

With more than one million BLAQ products sold since its inception three years ago, there is no doubting the iconic status of the natural skincare range.

And he’s not stopping there. Channing has recently launched his third business, Flight Mode, which is a wellness and beauty line for the US. The Blaq Group’s newest addition was launched in August 2019 and offers travel-size, natural products curated specifically for high altitudes.

Despite studying law, launching a trio of iconic skincare companies is something the Blaq Group CEO always dreamed of doing.

"I had no idea what I wanted to do when I left school but I knew that I liked to create brands and had an interest in business, so taking a double degree in commerce and law has certainly given me some essential knowledge coming into the space of being an entrepreneur," Channing says. "If you live by the rules of being self-motivated, driven and focused, you have an easy route to fast track success.

"I must say, I’m very happy that I’m not in court all day."