We’ve been working our children’s 67 year old grandmother harder than any labor law would ever allow.
As you may know, Janice, our mom and I own two e-commerce stores. We have a couple part time employees, but since Janice and I spend so much time working with 5 Minutes for Mom and wrangling our munchkins, our mother is basically left running the stores solo.
Over the last year, as our dear mother worked day and night, Janice and I insisted we need to hire another full-time employee to help her. But she argued that we’d never find the right person. And since we’re all so busy, months went by without us looking for a new worker.
Until one day, I finally decided to put an ad up locally on Craigslist and pray! We needed someone who was a creative (and FAST) writer, knew HTML, had worked on e-commerce store before, was a smooth talker who could provide outstanding phone customer service, and had a variety of social media experience. Basically, we wanted it all in one local person, and we never thought we’d find it.
But…
Timing + Craigslist + Prayer = Rockstar Employee
When the resumes started arriving, one caught my eye and I picked up the phone immediately.
After a few minutes chatting over the phone, I was pretty sure we’d found a superstar, but I didn’t realize that we’d actually found a ROCKSTAR!
It’s been just over a week now and as we’ve gotten to know our fabulous new helper, we have realized what an extraordinary gem we pulled out of Craigslist.
Allow me to introduce the unbelievably versatile and multi-skilled Billy The Kid.
The fact that Billy has landed in our little home office is so fantastic for us… but it does come because of a little interruption in her rock stardom.
As the music industry makes it tougher and tougher for indie artists to feed themselves, even one “one of Canada’s rising stars” (See Magazine) with her latest album produced by Raine Maida (from Our Lady Peace) is having to supplement her income.
Fortunately for us, in addition to rocking-out over the last few years, Billy (who has a degree in writing) has acquired an amazing variety of skills and experience. This “DIY poster girl” (Vue Weekly) created and ran Lost Records an independent record company, where she did everything from setting up an e-commerce store to building and managing a team of staff to promote other indie rock bands throughout the US and Canada.
Through social media, Billy helped artists like herself spread their sound without spending their dollars.
It was even through the social media giant MySpace that Raine Maida discovered Billy and offered to produce her album.
But as successful as Lost Records became, Billy still decided the income was too unpredictable and that it may be time to move on.
The last several months Billy worked on her album and toured with Raine and his wife Chantal Kreviazuk.
During the tour she and Raine’s drummer Randy Cooke fell deeply in love and they would be living happily ever after, except for that pesky Canadian citizenship issue.
Can you believe her luck? She had to fall for a drummer living in the US, who happens to ALSO be a Canadian. (Have I mentioned before what a hassle being Canadian can be?)
Anyway, we’re working on solving that whole Visa issue and soon I’m confident she’ll be living happily ever after with her rockstar boyfriend… and hey, maybe some rockstar babies.
But for now she’s all ours and we ADORE HER!!!
Well, okay… you can enjoy her talents too…
Check out her MySpace page (where Raine discovered her) and get some of her songs from iTunes or order her new CD from her online store. (It’s just 5 bucks). Her latest album is EXACTLY my style… I love it!
She used to front a punk rock band called Billy and the Lost Boys, but now she’s gone solo and her sound is just right for me.
So turn up your speakers and listen to our new favorite rockstar Billy The Kid!
If you’d like to win a copy of Billy The Kid’s latest CD, visit her myspace page and listen to the two songs she features there: “These City Lights” and “Just Trying to Get By”. Then come back here and leave us a comment telling us which of the two songs you like best.
(Also, it would be so great if you could share some link love with her. If you could link back to this post and/or her Billy The Kid Myspace page, that would be so nice!!!)
We’ll draw 3 random winners on Saturday, November 8th. Each winner will receive the just-released CD The Lost Cause.
(This giveaway is open to US and Canadian shipping addresses.)
love to enter…pick me pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeee
Wow….sorry I didn’t know about the CD giveaway earlier…I would have entered. I have purchased the CD from ITunes today as a result of hearing about her on your site.
These City Lights,great songs and you have a wonderful voice Billy, May you find the path that leads you to Rock Stardom,you have the talent!
Wow, she is very talented!
I liked “These City Lights†better, but both are fabulous! Thanks!!!
These City Lights!!
I love These City Lights!
These City lights
I especially liked the song, “These City Lightsâ€.
i like These City Lights
“These City Lights” is my favorite.
I like These City Lights.
Just Trying To Get By.
i like Just Trying to Get By
I like These City Lights.
Beautiful voice but preferred Just Trying to Get By. Thanks
I liked These City Lights!
I like These City Lights best.
I like These City Lights
I liked them both but I think I like Just Trying to Get By the most.
Just Trying to Get By was the one I liked best.
“These City Lights” and “Just Trying to Get By”
City Lights for me too. She has a beautiful voice and know that her talent will take her far.
I picked These City Lights
I like just Trying to Get By.
city lights
city lights!
I love these City Lights
Love, love, LOVE “These City Lights”
Have anyone heard “Drown”. I bought her CD from ITunes and it is great.
luv those city lights!
These City Lights
These City Lights
These City Lights is my fave!
Let’s go with These city lights.
city lights =)
I seem to be in the minority, but I like “Just Trying to Get By” better.
Love it! These City Lights is maybe the one I like better.
I like These City Lights best
these city lights does it for me
These City Lights!
i like just trying to get by, because she wrote it while i was looking for a job 😉
Just Trying To Get By
these city lights
I love both of these songs. I will buy the CD. A great writer!
Not only is she SUPER talented she is the sweetest person you’ll ever meet! such a pleasure to be around <3 I know she’ll be a Rockstar! =D
I like These City Lights
I like Billy! I added her to my friends list on MySpace. I liked both songs but, my favorite was Just Trying to Get By. thanks! Would love to win the cd.
“These City Lights” is incredible.
I like “These City Lights” Great giveaway!
WOW! WOW! WOW! What more can be said! WOW!
“Just Trying to Get By” is my fav! Rock on!
these city lights
funny how providence finds us, and meets our needs when we’re open to “outside the box” fits.
Love “These City Lights.” Great choice for a new hire:)
I like “These City Lights†best
I like These City Lights best.
hi, i have never heard of them. But would still love to win.
These City Lights for me
These city lights is grand – I love it! i am an instant fan – CONGRATS on finding your rockstar!
WELCOME BILLY!!!
these city lights
These City Lights def!
Such a talented writer and singer. She’s going to go far and become a BIG STAR!
These City Lights
City Lights
I loved both songs, but These City’s Lights was my #1 pick. Great stuff, such a talented musician!
I’d love to win some new music – this sounds up my alley!
These City Lights
love to win this
Fabulous! I really liked “Just trying to get by”.
very talented young lady.
I liked Just trying to get by (and the title sounds like my life story lol)
These City Lights
These City Lights I really enjoyed. Thank you!
These City Lights
Just Trying to Get By
She is just a magnificent talented ARTIST great refreshing voice! – very complete and has a simbolic cause for the Lost. She really deserves a BOSS like Susan from “5 minutes for mom”,the love of Randy and tons of Fans that Support her Music~ City lights is a great song!
Dama*
🙂
these city lights
Just Trying to Get By, perhaps i just relate
just trying to get by
Wow! You couldn’t have paid someone to write a more AWESOME review for Billy. Wait till everyone else hears the rest of her EP/CD …personal fav’s are “I Don’t Want To Know” and “City Lights” of course. Guess who?
what a crazy story
My choice is These City Lights, it makes this small town girl dream 🙂
Such Talent! I like These City’s Lights.
What a wonderful prize!
Just trying to get by sounds great. Billy will go far. Great inspiration!
These City Lights was rocking! I’m so glad you guys introduced her. I would never have found out about her. 🙂
These City Lights-I am a subscriber.
Awesome!
City Lights 🙂
I like These City Lights
these city lights- amazing
Much talent. I loved these City Lights.
These City Lights is my choice.
I ordered the CD! I loved the music on MySpace. Makes me realize how many really cool musicians we miss out on with the “biz” running things. 🙁 If I do win another CD, I think I’ll give it as a gift!
Wow what nice things to say about my beautiful daughter….A PROUD DAD!!!
Who doesn’t love Billy? You are right, you have landed a gem. As for her music, all her songs are great.
Wow!! Some people have it all: Talent up the wazoo and a great job at 5 Minutes for Mom:-)
She is _gorgeous_!!!!
I like These City Lights.
Congrats on your new hire!
I liked “These City Lights” better, but both are fabulous!
These City Lights is wonderful, thanks for sharing this new artist with us!
Wow, she is very talented! I especially liked the song, “These City Lights her music is right up my alley!