Bit-Wizards, a local managed IT services provider, marks its silver anniversary this month after growing from a two-person software engineering startup to an award-winning technology company that has served over 500 clients nationwide.

• Co-founders Vince Mayfield and Louis Erickson established the company in Austin, Texas on Feb. 1, 2000, before returning to their hometown and opening their first office in Shalimar, Florida in 2001. Both founders had previously served in active duty military and worked in the defense industry before deciding to venture into the civilian sector.

“The idea was that we wanted to create a great place to work—where engineers who loved building software would be happy and treated well,” Erickson said. “One of our greatest innovations was focusing on our engineers in order to take care of our customers.”

The early days weren’t easy. After signing a five-year lease and preparing to hire their first employees in 2001, the 9/11 attacks caused potential clients to freeze their budgets. Tax records show the founders each earned only $1,500 in 2002.

• Those early days often meant working unusual hours. “I remember one night when the Shalimar police walked in cautiously with hands over their guns, asking what we were doing in our office at 2 a.m., and we had to explain that we were entrepreneurs,” Erickson recalled.

Despite those initial challenges, the company began expanding in 2003 with its first hire, John Jackson, who remains with the company today. By 2006, the team had grown to 15 employees. In 2004, the company earned Microsoft Gold Partner status and began its longest-running client relationship with TSA Consulting Group.

The company has diversified its services over the years. After acquiring a local company in 2007, Bit-Wizards expanded into digital marketing services. In 2013, the company established its Managed IT Services division, which remains its primary focus today.

The growth has earned the company over 140 national and local accolades, including five Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Private Companies awards and 15 consecutive Florida Trend Best Places to Work awards. The company has also received eight consecutive Inc. 5000 Best Workplaces awards since 2016.

In 2012, the founders partnered with Stephen Nixon to establish Monitored Communications, LLC, enhancing the TalkingParents co-parenting communication service. Most recently, in 2024, the service’s app and website were redesigned for various operating systems.

In 2021, the company established the Be the Magic Foundation to formalize its charitable giving. Since returning to Northwest Florida in 2001, Bit-Wizards has contributed over $3 million to local nonprofits. Both founders have remained active in local leadership, with Mayfield serving as the 2020 Board of Directors Chair for the Fort Walton Beach Chamber of Commerce.

• “I come from a family that taught me how vital it is to take care of others whenever possible, and we wanted to make our home a better place,” Mayfield said. “Louis and I took that dream and have now touched so many lives and given so many opportunities within and outside of Bit-Wizards.”

Today, the Fort Walton Beach-based company operates from its Ready Avenue location, focusing on providing managed IT services to clients throughout the southeast and across the country. Both founders attribute their longevity to maintaining strong relationships and learning from both successes and setbacks.

“It’s been a lot tougher than I thought it would be, but it’s been very rewarding,” Erickson added. “The impact we’ve had, the people whose lives changed, they did it on their own. They took opportunities and did it, but I was just glad to be able to create those opportunities.”