About Anchor & Keel
Hi, I’m Nikki Belt
I spent 20 years inside massive organizations—Google, Microsoft, Apple, Nike, the Gates Foundation—learning how companies with unlimited resources build operational excellence.
Here’s what I learned: small businesses face the same operational challenges. You just don’t have the budget, the specialized teams, or the margin for error.
After two decades making billion-dollar companies more efficient, I walked away. I was done optimizing systems that made rich people richer. I wanted my work to matter—to help businesses where decisions affect real people, real livelihoods, and the life you’re trying to build.
What I know after 20 years:
It’s rarely about finding the perfect tool. It’s about untangling unnecessarily complex work, making things easier for your team, and fixing the right problems in the right order.
That’s what Anchor & Keel does. I help business owners—especially those who recently bought an established business—see exactly where operations are holding them back, prioritize what matters most, and build systems that support growth without burning everyone out.
Including you.
How this actually works
No generic playbooks. No ripping out what’s working. We turn what you inherited into operations that actually support the business you want to build.
We get clear on what you bought
Before changing anything, we assess the reality of the business you inherited—people, processes, finances, and systems.people, processes, finances, and systems. What’s working. What’s fragile. What matters most to fixt first.
We build the operational core
Together we build the basics every profitable operation needs—financial visibility, clear workflows, simple scalable systems, aligned teams. Nothing fancy. Nothing unnecessary. Just what supports growth.
You learn how to run operations
This isn’t a report you file away. We work side by side so you can learn how to diagnose issues, set priorities, and keep improving long after the engagement ends.
Why small businesses?
Small businesses build the communities we want, need, and deserve.
Here’s why I’m all in on your success:
You’re where real impact happens
You’re creating jobs, building community, and offering something corporations can’t—genuine connection and belonging. I’ve worked inside the giants, and I know what they can’t replicate.
You’re competing on an uneven playing field
You’re up against companies with massive budgets and dedicated operations teams. You deserve access to the same insights and strategies they use—adapted for your reality.
You can thrive, not just survive
I want you to compete and win—building a business that grows without losing its soul. Modern operations can help you get there, and I can show you how.
This moment matters
The businesses thriving five years from now are the ones modernizing today—you don’t need to transform overnight, just start smart and let small wins build.
A note on AI and modernization
A lot of what I do includes AI—but it’s not always the right solution.
I help businesses modernize thoughtfully, using technology (including AI) to support human judgement, strengthen teams, and make work easier, not to replace people or chase trends.
In a time when every vendor is pushing AI for everything, my role is to help you take a measured, ethical, and practical approach—one that avoids hype, minimizes waste, and focuses on real value.
That means:
- Choosing tools based on your actual needs, not what’s fashionable
- Being clear about what technology can and can’t do
- Considering cost, sustainability, and long-term viability
- Building capability inside your team so improvements last
Responsible modernization isn’t just good ethics—it’s good business. When people are at the center and technology supports them operations become more efficient, more resilient, and more sustainable.
If you’re curious whether your operations are stable enough to modernize, or where to start, the Profit Leak Assessment is a good first step.
A bit more about me…
Here’s the truth: Even while I consulted for and worked in big-tech my heart was always all-in on small businesses.
My partner owns a small business, and over dinners and drinks, I became his unofficial advisor. His problems were real, dynamic, and fascinating in ways corporate work never was. Staffing challenges, operational bottlenecks, cash flow stress—the messy, exciting reality of keeping a business alive and growing.
Those conversations energized me more than any project at big tech ever did. The stakes were real. The impact was immediate.
That’s why I started Anchor & Keel—and why I want to work with you. Small business ownership has a complexity and nuance that corporate work doesn’t. You are doing hard things here!
I’m a firm believer that as we navigate this AI-driven future, businesses like yours deserve every advantage to compete and thrive—without losing what makes you special.
Some things I value:
- Honest conversations over polished pitches
- Learning together over pretending to have all the answers
- Progress over perfection and people over processes
- The proven benefits of diverse workplaces, and most importantly
- Basic human dignity for all people, no matter their race, religion, or status
When I’m not working with clients, you’ll find me in the Pacific Northwest with my family hiking, mountain biking, skiing and trying to keep up with my kids and their activities.
Ready to get started?
Whether you just bought a business and inherited a mess, or you’ve been struggling with it for months, I’d love to talk.
Book a free 30-minute consultation and let’s explore what’s possible for your business.
