The Fort Walton Beach City Council unanimously approved a major development order on Tuesday, June 10, for Bit-Wizards and TalkingParents to construct a two-story, 50,896 square foot building at Freedom Tech Center on Liberty Lane Northwest.
- The approval allows the 25-year-old managed IT and software company, and its sister-company TalkingParents, to move forward with plans to more than double their current workspace. The two currently operate from a 25,000 square foot facility on Ready Avenue, which they have outgrown after just three years.
“TalkingParents and Bit-Wizards have experienced rapid growth, both locally and nationally,” said Vince Mayfield, CEO of both companies. “We moved into our current 25,000-square-foot space just a little over three years ago, and we’ve already outgrown it. The new 50,000-square-foot building being developed by The Jay Odom Group gives us the capacity to grow beyond 200 team members and supports our plan to double in size over the next three years.”
Developer Jay Odom told the council that building plans have already been submitted for construction review and the company hopes to move into the new facility by late summer 2026. The same contractors building the nearby Beast Code headquarters will construct the Bit-Wizards/TalkingParents facility.
Growth Management Director Chris Frassetti said the project met all requirements in the city’s land development code and comprehensive plan. The only technical consideration was lot coverage, which exceeds the typical 75% maximum at 84.5%, but falls within acceptable parameters for the planned unit development when viewed across the entire Freedom Tech Center project.
TalkingParents, originally founded by Stephen Nixon while running his criminal defense and family law practice, operates a co-parenting communication platform that has been court-approved since 2010. The platform now serves customers in all 50 states and 11 countries after 13 years in business, and surpassed 500,000 users in 2020.
- “This move is more than just expansion, it’s a long-term investment in keeping high-quality technology jobs right here in Fort Walton Beach,” Mayfield said. “We had options to go elsewhere, but we chose to build here because this is home. We believe in the talent, the values, and the future of Northwest Florida.”
Following the Fort Walton Beach approval, the Okaloosa County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved an Economic Development Ad Valorem Tax Exemption for TalkingParents on July 1. Under the performance-based incentive, the company committed to invest $16 million and create 30 additional jobs paying an average of $75,000 annually by the end of 2028.
Nathan Sparks, Executive Director of One Okaloosa Economic Development Council, told commissioners the new positions will pay 132% of the county’s current average wage of $56,849. ( The county’s EDATE wage qualification threshold is 110% of the average wage.)
- The University of West Florida Haas Center projected the expansion will generate a $45 million annual economic impact on the community, and provide a 164% return on investment to the county over 10 years.
The county tax exemption totals $479,116 over 10 years on new improvements, including $459,696 for the facility and $19,420 for equipment. TalkingParents will provide annual verification of meeting investment and employment commitments to maintain the exemption.
The development continues momentum at Freedom Tech Center, where Beast Code is currently constructing its own headquarters. Jay Odom reported that Beast Code will begin pouring footers and expects to complete construction by late summer 2026. The council also recently approved a 17,000 square-foot daycare center that will serve up to 270 children.
The new facility will serve as headquarters for TalkingParents, with Bit-Wizards subleasing a portion of the space. Both companies currently share the Ready Avenue building with Beast Code, and all three will relocate to Freedom Tech Center once construction is complete.
