![Nia Lyric Symone Thompson](http://www.uwindsor.ca/dailynews/philosophy/sites/uwindsor.ca.dailynews/files/styles/full/public/900_lyricsimone.jpg?itok=GChH-V5L)
Nia Lyric Symone Thompson is fascinated with the promotion and selling of products. She hopes that participating in the RBC EPIC Founders program will help her make a success of her startup, Lyric Symone & Co.
The company will produce a subscription beauty box and curate collections of jewelry and organic beauty products.
“My business is a seed for others to grow. It’s important to me to create, empower, and maintain a platform to promote other small businesses,” says Thompson.
Her market research indicates that competitors focus on showcasing larger brands, but Thompson intends to foster innovation and individuality among suppliers.
“In turn, niche audiences will be exposed to products and diverse brands they wouldn’t have sought out themselves,” she says.
The Entrepreneurship Practice and Innovation Centre (EPICentre) hosts the founders program, a 12-week startup accelerator for students and recent graduates who want to turn their ideas into businesses. Participants receive a stipend of up to $6,000 that can be used as seed funding, attend workshops and seminars, and receive one-on-one mentorship.