Shared vision; ViaWest's Phillips and Dimoff: a match made for business.

• Author: Skiles, Wesley
• Position: ViaWest Internet Services Inc

NANCY PHILLIPS WAS PUTTING A NEW ROOF ON HER MOM'S HOUSE WHEN ROY DIMOFF called and offered her a job. Five companies and almost 20 years later, they're still working together.

The co-founders of Denver-based ViaWest Internet Services Inc., Dimoff and Phillips have a long history of building successful high-tech business ventures together. Their commitment to shared values and combined entrepreneurial vision is what drives ViaWest's dedication to building a customer-driven, market-focused operation.

Trust has been a key element in the team's success.

"You've got to be confident in each other's strengths," Dimoff said.

"I have an immense respect for Roy and trust him implicitly," Phillips adds. Their complementary skills and mutual respect for the other's area of expertise speak volumes about their ability to survive and grow in the tech industry.

Dimoff, ViaWest's president and CEO, takes a conservative approach when it comes to the company's growth and financial management. ViaWest actually grew during the economic downturn of 2001 and 2002, and it has emerged with a positive cash flow as a viable Internet-solutions alternative for businesses in Colorado, Utah, Nevada and Arizona.

Phillips, director and COO, runs the company's operations, engineering and technical-support divisions. While Dimoff's good financial management has certainly paid off, Phillips says, the success of business operations is just as much about how you respond to a customer's needs. "New technologies come out all the time, and many companies get caught up in that," she said. "We tend to view each customer as a long-term investment, listening to their needs and offering reliable solutions."

Still, 18 years is a long time for a business partnership to endure.

"We've been business partners longer than most people have been married, and sometimes I wonder which one is harder," Phillips said.

Both Dimoff and Phillips are passionate entrepreneurs who see the success of ViaWest as the culmination of their hard work and determination. A shared vision and the ultimate success of ViaWest are what drive both to persevere.

"We've never lost sight of the...