In 2009, a drug conviction sent Coss Marte to prison for seven years. Sixteen years later, the 39-year-old entrepreneur is running a thriving cannabis business. It’s called Conbud, and it generates $800,000 in monthly sales. Marte expects Conbud to gross as much as $12 million in revenue this year.
Marte’s journey from incarceration to business success began with a bold vision—and a second chance. “I feel blessed, man,” Marte admits. “It’s a big, big community that’s growing with us.”
Building Conbud from the Ground Up
Conbud opened its doors in October 2023 as one of Manhattan’s first fully licensed recreational cannabis dispensaries. Located on the Lower East Side—where Marte grew up—the business expanded to a second location in the Bronx in April 2024.
Marte leveraged his entrepreneurial skills, refined through running his fitness business, Conbody. He combined those skills with his unique eligibility for a cannabis license. New York’s cannabis law prioritizes applicants with prior marijuana convictions and a history of operating profitable businesses.
“I was following this law, and what they required was two years of a net profitable business and a conviction on your record,” Marte explains. “Now, how many people have that to qualify for a cannabis license? Not many.”
He invested $50,000 of his own savings and raised $1.2 million from friends and family to kickstart Conbud. Marte used the funds for a $400,000 security deposit on the Lower East Side location, construction, payroll, and inventory.
From the Streets to Entrepreneurship
Marte’s connection to cannabis began in his early teens. Growing up surrounded by the illicit drug trade, Marte viewed drugs as a way to achieve his childhood dream of financial independence: “When I was a kid, people would ask me: ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ And I would say: ‘I want to be rich.’ The first opportunity was through the world of drugs. So I started dealing weed.”
Prison became a turning point. After doctors warned Marte about his dangerously high cholesterol, he developed a bodyweight workout routine—from his cell. This regimen soon inspired Conbody, a fitness business that he launched in 2014 with a $10,000 grant from Defy Ventures. Defy Ventures is a nonprofit supporting former convicts who have become entrepreneurs. Conbody now generates $1 million annually.
Navigating a Highly Competitive Market
New York’s legal cannabis market presents opportunities—and more than its share of challenges. While a recent crackdown on unlicensed sellers helped legitimate businesses like Conbud, the competition remains fierce. Major players like Curaleaf—a popular brand that generates $1.3 billion annually—tend to loom over smaller operators.
Marte focuses on carving out a niche by emphasizing social impact. Both Conbud and Conbody almost exclusively hire individuals who have been “justice-impacted.” The meaning? They or their family members have past incarceration records.
“Collectively, I employ 72 people who fit that criteria,” Marte boasts. “Without my own second chance, I’d never have found myself in this position.”
Looking to the Future
Due mostly to high costs for rent and labor, Conbud currently operates at a 13% profit margin. Federal legalization of cannabis could offer tax deductions and expanded financing options that result in a tangible financial boost.
“So, that 13% will grow to 25% profit margins,” Marte insists.
Marte remains optimistic about his ability to compete in an increasingly crowded market. As for what’s driving his vision? His personal story, deep ties to his community, and commitment to social equity are the cornerstones of Marte’s hard work.
A Second Chance—and a New Beginning
Coss Marte’s journey from prison to prosperity highlights the life-changing power of opportunity. He credits his success to perseverance and the support of programs such as Defy Ventures: “I left prison with $40 and a bus ticket. I ended up on my mom’s couch, trying to figure out how to make a living with a drug conviction on my record.”
Today, Marte leads two thriving businesses and provides jobs for dozens of justice-impacted individuals. His story embodies resilience and the value of second chances.
“I feel blessed, man,” Marte acknowledges. “It’s not just about me. It’s about building something bigger for my community.”
