When asked what his New Year’s Resolutions look like for his business, several things came to mind for Cultura CDA owner Steven Sanchez.

“Our focus this year is discipline, community, and scalability,” Sanchez said.

Those pillars of business certainly paid off for Sanchez in 2025. Cultura CDA came home to its flagship location on Nieder Avenue in late October after operating as a popular food truck since 2021. The brick-and-mortar restaurant has allowed Sanchez to grow the Cultura brand and offer an expanded menu.

Sanchez and the Cultura crew are just getting started, already dreaming bigger and laying the groundwork for further expansion in 2026.

They plan to launch a new venture called “Cars and Cultura” by Q1, roll out an independent catering arm by Q2, and add Mondays to the restaurant’s opening hours, Sanchez said.

“(All) are steps toward strengthening our foundation, allowing us to grow Cultura with intention,” he added.

Intention is also at the forefront of Sportive’s Sydney Ciampini as she and her new Coeur d’Alene studio head into 2026.

Sportive is a reformer Pilates and Brazilian lymphatic drainage studio with a “body first” focus — but Ciampini wants to go beyond providing a workout space.

“In 2026, I see Sportive becoming an anchor for women who want more than a workout; they want connection,” she said. “My intention is to grow a community that feels welcoming, supportive, and aligned with the high standards that define Sportive.”

Research suggests that making New Year’s Resolutions put Sanchez and Ciampini on the right track: a Tilburg University study published in January 2025 found setting goals can produce remarkable results, even when there is no monetary value in meeting them.

Researchers observed workers at small cassava processing firms in Ghana, asking one group to track their daily production and another to set daily non-binding production goals.

Workers that set production goals were found to produce 16% more product, achieve 8% higher hourly productivity, and a 13% increase in average labor output.

"Setting goals helped workers structure their day better and focus more on their tasks,” researcher Elena Cettolin explained in the January article. “Even without financial incentives, we observed significant improvements in production and productivity. This demonstrates the powerful impact of behavioral interventions like goal setting.”

A goal-driven mindset has been a key part of Cascadia Pizza owner Raffi Peltekian’s success.

Cascadia Pizza, a small North Idaho franchise made up of two brick-and-mortar locations and two food trucks, is as well known for their pizza as they are for Peltekian’s community involvement.

Among other charitable events throughout the year, Peltekian hosts a Toys for Tots drive at his Coeur d’Alene restaurant around Christmas time each year. Events like this align with his “big picture” goals of philanthropy.

In 2026, that focus will remain unwavering.

“We are doubling down on investing in our community,” Peltekian said. “We are continuing our focus on serving the highest quality product possible.” 

    Ciampini
  

    Peltekian