Professional Q&A: Kyle Mauck

Looking for advancement in his field, Kyle Mauck began his business, 2nd Mile Solutions LLC, in 2016. He serves as its chief innovation officer and prioritizes service and furthering his mission work as pillars of his business.

Q: Do you live in Edmond, work in Edmond, or both?

A: I moved to Edmond in 1995 to attend Oklahoma Christian University, married an Edmond gal, and have stayed in Edmond ever since. I started my business in Edmond on Feb. 1, 2016, so we are about to turn seven years old as an organization.

Q: Where did you grow up and go to school?

A: I grew up in a small town in southeastern Oklahoma called Calera, just south of Durant, and graduated from Calera High School. I attended Oklahoma Christian University as a second-generation student for my bachelor’s and MBA degrees. My mom and dad graduated from Oklahoma Christian, along with many uncles, aunts, and cousins, so our family has a long history with the university.

Q: What did you do before your time at 2nd Mile Solutions LLC?

A: I graduated in 1995 and immediately went to work for one of the first internet service providers in Oklahoma, a company called IONET/Internet Oklahoma. I worked there for two years and then went to work for AT&T as a network salesperson connecting Oklahoma’s large and medium-sized companies for data communications and internet connectivity. I worked for AT&T for 19 years, and in one of my last roles was the sales director for Oklahoma’s Enterprise Market.

Q: How did you start 2nd Mile Solutions?

A: Towards the end of my tenure with AT&T, I saw that, to advance any further in AT&T, I would have to move to Dallas or a larger regional office. I have lived in Oklahoma all my life and wanted to stay here and raise my family in Edmond. So, my wife and I decided to leverage my 19 years of experience with AT&T and the communications industry to start my company, 2nd Mile Solutions.

I have been blessed through the years to have the opportunity to work with and support many fantastic Oklahoma businesses and have tried my best to develop trusting and long-lasting relationships there. That has been a key asset to the success of our company because trust is very important in the communications industry, and it is such a difficult and technical place to work. Additionally, I’ve been blessed to work with fantastic co-workers in AT&T, and several of them have joined me here at 2nd Mile.

The name of our company reminds us every day that customer service, hard work, trust, and going the “extra mile” will always set someone apart from their competitors. That’s our purpose: to help companies navigate the difficult world of communications so that they can focus on their business.

Q: What do you like most about your job?

A: First and foremost, it’s the people! The customer we get to work with for many years, the relationships we’ve built, and the great people that work with me each day that I have known for many years. Doing a difficult job surrounded by friends sure makes a difference. Second, designing corporate communications in today’s business environment is more difficult than ever before since companies rely on their communications services to do everything these days.

The challenge of designing redundant and resilient corporate communications within an affordable budget and anticipating what we do now will be obsolete in three years keeps us constantly on our toes. So, the challenge of this industry keeps us sharp and makes the days go by very fast. Lastly, I’ve always enjoyed working with new technologies, so we get to work with all kinds of different IT services and applications in our job, including internet security and wireless services.

Q: What’s something you’re passionate about in your personal life?

A: Church, family, and mission work in Nicaragua. My family and I attend the Edmond Church of Christ at 9th and Bryant. I’ve attended there for 31 years and have met so many wonderful people from all walks of life. My children are now in high school as a senior and a freshman, so we always have some activities around town.

One of the main reasons I left AT&T to pursue my own business was to, Lord willing, have the freedom to spend more time on mission trips and have more resources to invest in that mission work. I just returned from my 17th mission trip to Nicaragua this month; I hadn’t been there in three years due to political unrest and the pandemic. I had missed it so much, missed seeing all of the friends and fellow church members we’ve grown to love over the last 17 years.

That’s what I’m most excited about, that our company exists to help other people who live in places where they don’t have the opportunities or resources that we have but have hearts and spirits that are just amazing. Knowing that the work our company does each day will help many people in Nicaragua improve their lives keeps us all going and grinding out through the hurdles and roadblocks we face each day caring for our clients. My wife and I have committed our lives to this work and hopefully have built a program that will last even after we are gone.

On the more trivial side, I’m looking forward to Kickingbird Golf Course reopening in May; you might see me out there on Saturdays.

Q: What do you like about Edmond?

A: Growing up in a very small town, I like that Edmond is a big city with a small-city feel. I appreciate how close we are to everything in Edmond: entertainment, restaurants, grocery stores, many education choices, universities, fantastic housing, and amenities. Edmond has so much opportunity and potential for success that I can’t think of a better place to be in Oklahoma or the country. Edmond is just a great place to raise one’s family and hopefully raise children that are compassionate, hard-working, care for others, and have the opportunity to make anything they want out of themselves.

Q: What is your number one tip for other professionals, either for work or life in general?

A: Humbly, I would say it’s customer service and hard work: doing unto others as you would have them do unto you, treating people how you want to be treated, working hard to respond quickly and thoroughly so that your customers can move on with their work and projects, and doing what you say you will do when you said you will do it. Those are all hard things to do, but the better one does them, the more success I believe they will have.