MEMBERS MEETING MINUTES
Thursday, April 10, 2025 4:30pm-5:30pm
Location: Mandarin Restaurant
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ITEMS:
LIAM O'BRIEN, IVEY BUSINESS ACADEMY
(Business Card - Slide deck)
- The Academy is for not just for executives! It's for entrepreneurs and small businesses.
- Online and in-person learning ranging from 1 day to 3 weeks.
- Categories: Leadership & personal development, strategy and business growth, marketing, finance and accounting.
- Coming Soon: London Business Artificial Intelligence workshop: Link to show your interest in this.
IAN LEISHMAN, OSBA - EXAMPLES OF THE POWER OF Ai
- ChatGPT can help with writing (brainstorming/editing), and can break down long PDFs and answer questions about them.
- Suno creates realistic, high-quality music from text prompts (maybe about your business?)
> Example song Ai wrote based and fully created quickly about the Staples store on Wellington based on information found online:
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ElevenLabs is Ai that generates lifelike text-to-speech & voice cloning.
Examples of celebs talking about the OSBA below.
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InVideo Ai turns text prompts into fully edited videos with voiceovers, music, and visuals in minutes.
> Example created for the Elmwood Lawn Bowling Club (ELBC) below:
- Script written by Ai, based on what is on ELBC website
- Voice over & motion video is Ai generated
- All images pulled from ELBC website
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SKYLAR FRANK, WARD 11 CITY COUNCILLOR UPDATE
- London Clean & Green is underway encouraging
- City of London took over London Transit, not Skylar's first choice, but she is now on the Transit committee.
- There will be a Thames Park Improvement meeting in May & they're looking for input.
- There was an encampment closure. City is doing their best to figure out a way forward. There are approximately 400 beds available, and about 700 homeless on the street on average any given day in London.
JEFF ROWE, OLD SOUTH PUB LEADING DISCUSSION RE: TARIFFS
- Two good resources on what is Canadian: Buy Beaver App & Made in Canada Facebook Group.
- The city / LEDC is offering support for businesses facing difficulties due to tariffs.
- Product of Canada = 98%+ is Canadian, Made in Canada = 51%+ of total cost to make was from Canada.
- Realise what you can't change, focus on what you can, and keep doing what you do best.
- OSBA should continue promoting local, and add more general "Support local" messaging with no political stance.
WORTLEY ROAD PS STUDENTS "VIBRANT VILLAGE" PITCH
- They will build Moskoka chairs for your Old South establishment with inspirational messages on them.
- Your logo will be on it the arm.
- This is to foster community & connection, with relaxed, welcoming outdoor seating.
- Cost: $350 per chair. For more info, contact Josh Jones at joshua.jones@tvdsb.ca.
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OLD SOUTH COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION UPDATE
- Discussed the 2025 Thames River Clean Up and how Old South Pub is offering
- Gathering on the Green will be Saturday, June 7th 10am to 5pm. Vendor applications are open until April 16th. Music will be enhanced in partnership with the Forest City Music Festival.
- OSCO will be celebrating it's 50th Anniversary this year. Festivities in the works.
AARON, STORM STAYED BREWING "OLD SOUTH" BEER CONCEPT
There is interest in rolling it out. What was discussed:
- Have local artists design the can with community voting to choose what gets used.
- Collaborative decision for taste
- Multi-tiered marketing approach with various establishments that would sell it.
- Allocate proceeds from beer sales to support the local community. (specific beneficiaries to be determined)
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PROMOTIONS / SALES EVENTS TO PROMOTE?
- Grand Wood Park Easter Hunt & Bake Sale (Graphic)
- Westland Gallery Painting and Printmaking workshops (Graphic)
- Lofthouse Living 8th Anniversary! (Graphic)
- Mylie Group Mortgage Insight + Scavenger Hunt events. (Flyer front, Flyer back)
- Elmwood Lawn Bowling Club at 17.5 Edward Street invites you out! (Card)
- How Staples is helping local businesses (Flyer)
- Sha Choix sales at owner Sharinnes's house. (Picture/Flyer)
NEXT MEETINGS:
(Mark you calendars!)
- Member’s Meeting: Thu May 8th, 4pm @ Wortley Roadhouse at 190 Wortley Road.
- Business Mixer: Thu June 12th 4:30pm-6pm at Sweet Onion Bistro at 135 Wortley Road. (Free hors d'oeuvres & first drink)
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Thank you once again to Liam O’Brien for sharing valuable insight on how the Ivey Business Academy can support Old South businesses. Ai has certainly been a hot topic lately, and we appreciated your preview of the upcoming Excelling with AI course that will be offered later this year.
What stood out most to me from this month’s meeting was the open discussion about how everyone is navigating the current economic climate with tariff concerns, customer uncertainty and the impact on sales. The consensus was clear: buying Canadian matters, and the best takeaway for me came from a simple but powerful reminder:
Realize what you can’t change, focus on what you can, and keep doing what you do best.
Keep up that great work you’re all doing! Our community is better because of it.
Cheers,
Ian
Ian Leishman
President
Old South Business Association
190 Wortley Road LL10
London, Ontario N6C 4Y7, info@OldSouthBA.com
www.OldSouthBA.com, facebook.com/OldSouthBA
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We're looking for the newest exciting additions to our amazing business community.
If you have seen a new business open up in the area, we'd love to know about it.
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Would you like some OSBA pens or an outdoor sticker for your business? Contact us! |
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If you're conducting business in Old South, you're welcome to attend. We also encourage you to get more involved and join the OSBA for just $100!
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We hope we can add your voice to the group and help the business community as a whole grow stronger!
Join our next business mixer with free hors d'oeuvres & first drink! It'll be Thursday, June 13th 4:30pm-6pm at Old South Pub, 149 Wortley Road.
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Hopefully we'll see you there!
Board of Directors
Old South Business Association
190 Wortley Road LL10
London, Ontario N6C 4Y7, info@OldSouthBA.com
www.OldSouthBA.com, facebook.com/OldSouthBA
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(Annual Membership dues: Only $100! / Business outside of Old South: Only $150!)
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