Small Gifts, Lasting Impact

Byron Middendorf
February 14, 2019

Years ago, a small and totally unexpected gift was delivered to our office. It was three decades ago when Amazon was the one in South America, not in Seattle. The giver had to use a real shopping cart, get his own box, and fill out a shipping label. Egad!

The box contained two software utilities: Sidekick and DoubleDOS. The total cost of these utilities was less than $30. And yet, I have remembered that gift dozens of times over the thirty-two-year history of Equinox. In fact, Wayne and I reminisced about the giver’s kindness on a Friday afternoon not too long ago. Sadly, the very next day, we received the news that Bill King, the man behind the gift, had passed away.

Bill was the CFO of American Sharecom in Minneapolis, Minnesota. American Sharecom became customer number 001 for our startup in Nashville. Wayne would travel to Minneapolis for weeks at a time and work with Bill King and Kirk Danzl and others on their long-distance billing system. Their business allowed us to survive until our business could take root and grow. When Equinox was just a spark, with slim chances of becoming an ember, Bill showed us that he was on our side, he was rooting for us. His kindness left an indelible mark on Equinox and on our hearts.

DoubleDOS and Sidekick have followed the Dodo bird into extinction, but the gift of Bill's kindness has never faded. In fact, it is still paying dividends. Reading Bill's obituary, I learned that Bill's gift to us was just one of many he gave this world throughout his lifetime. My memory of Bill teaches me of the power of unexpected kindness.

Imagine the beautiful impact on those around us when we weave such deliberate acts of unselfishness into our daily routine. Today, I will send a gift to someone in memory of Bill King, a teacher and friend who has left a lasting imprint on me.

https://www.davidleefuneralhome.com/notices/William-King

About the Author

Byron Middendorf is the CEO, owner, and founder of Equinox Information Systems, where he oversees the company’s sales, marketing, implementation, and support initiatives. With over 35 years’ experience in the telecommunications industry, Byron provides vision and long-term strategic development for the company and its complete suite of software solutions. Although he enjoys those tasks, he is most passionate about his mission to ensure that Equinox is a great place to work. To learn more, visit www.equinoxis.com or call (615) 612-1200.