Five years ago, Ray J was looking to diversify his investments when he founded his own scooter company. The company proved successful — but the actor, rapper, and reality star realized that he needed to give the general public something more.
Thus, RAYCON — a Black-owned earphone company — was born entering into the global earphones and headphones market which, according to a report, was valued at $25.1 billion in 2019.
Billing itself as a “tech disruptor,” RAYCON was co-founded by Ray J with Ray Lee back in 2017. Despite its newfound status, the company surpassed the 1 million mark in sales in less than three years…and, Ray J says, that success was all due to the founders’ good old-fashioned grit.
“We have no outside funding,” said Ray J to AfroTech. “No crowd-funding, no investors…it’s just us, and our faith in God, and following our hearts and believing in ourselves.”
Black Friday, especially, proved to be a true financial boon for RAYCON, as it exceeded more than $4 million in sales, thus bringing the company’s revenue to more than $100 million.
And the company did all this despite the ubiquity and dominance of the Apple AirPods and similar Android-based products.
“We wanted to be different,” said Ray J. “We wanted to stand out with products that were not only high-demand, but high-quality. And for us, paying $150 or $250 for a pair of earbuds was just out of the question. It’s just too much money. No disrespect to Apple — they’re the big dogs. But it’s important for people to buy stuff that they can afford. And the way we’ll still be the viable competition is by coming out with different products — different value points — for people of all kinds.”
At the crux of the RAYCON products are its two biggest selling points: their durability and affordability. Of note is the cutting-edge audio drivers and wireless chip-sets to convey crystal clear sound while the soft comfort gel tips conform to fit snuggly in your ear.
“Three years ago, the earbud business wasn’t as booming as it is now,” he said. “But now, it’s on fire. And I think our price point is what says it all. People are paying way too much for earbuds — they’re overpriced. When RAYCON came in with our prices, and our styles, I think we set ourselves apart from all the competition.”
According to a press release, the collection includes:
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- The Everyday E25 Earbuds ($79.99) – the travel-ready earbuds are the most compact of the collection perfect for on-the-go listening
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- The Performer E55 Wireless Earbuds ($119.99) – features an arc-shaped frame that bends to your needs to create the best fit possible
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- The WORK Earbuds ($149.99) – utilize noise cancelling properties to diminish environmental sounds while ensuring your voice is crystal clear
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- The Trendsetter H20 Headphones ($99.99) – the only over the ear headphones in the collection offer premium sound quality, active noise cancelling technology and all day battery life
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For more information about RAYCON products, click here.