Anastasiia Bulichenko, a young entrepreneur, is providing custom balloon creations to Oxford County (and beyond). She moved to Canada in 2022 and began Balloons Tillsonburg in 2024, initially on a part-time basis, when she identified a gap in the area. Her thorough market research gave her confidence to become an entrepreneur. She said her balloon store provides decorations for any occasion and whether private or corporate, everything is customizable.
“We cover customers from beginning to end,” she said. “Our packages are worry-free and can include delivery and take down or people can stop by the shop and personally choose their balloons.”
Anastasia received a Young Entrepreneur grant from Community Futures Oxford and used the funds to purchase an LED sign to increase her visibility in downtown Tillsonburg, especially in winter when it gets dark sooner.
“Community Futures Oxford is a great organization whose support helps all types of businesses and provides priceless information,” Anastasiia said.
Anastasiia is a member of the local chamber where she met CF Oxford’s general manager Allan Simm at an event. After clarifying she qualified for the definition of youth (39 and younger), she decided to apply for the grant.
As an entrepreneur Anastasiia has faced challenges with increased costs of helium and competition from Amazon. However, she has received support from Tillsonburg downtown and she is learning to network and seize opportunities to help people find out about her business. She uses Instagram and Facebook for marketing and since people recognize her from those platforms and know about her, it appears to be working!
Her in-stock balloons are organic latex and if people give her enough notice she can order any type of balloon if she doesn’t already have them in stock. Anastasiia says she loves celebrations and making people happy and she knows, with her business, she is doing just that!
“When I’m creating, I add little extras,” she said. “When I deliver balloons, people are always happy and smiling, and I can’t be grumpy when I’m at work surrounded by bright colours.”
Anastasiia advises others who are considering starting a business to be aware that it takes a lot of hard work and risk-taking, to invest in networking and to never give up.
She would like Oxford County to know she delivers her big selection of unique balloons (some from Europe) to Oxford, Norfolk and Elgin counties. She can do custom orders including logos and many of her foil balloons are reusable.
Visit her at 164 Broadway St Unit 10, Tillsonburg.