I Was A 19-Year-Old Drug Kingpin - Now I Give Ex-Cons Jobs | BRAND NEW ME
Jun 19 2021
AT the age of 23, Coss Marte’s life as he knew it came crashing down. He had started dealing weed at the age of 13 and by the age of 19, he was running one of the largest drug delivery services in New York. But he was caught and sentenced to seven years in prison where he was told by a doctor that he had high cholesterol and if he did not change his lifestyle, he could die in five years. Motivated by this, Coss began working out and lost 71lbs in six months as well as helping other inmates lose weight too. In solitary, Coss worked out in a 9ft by 6ft cell and was inspired to devise a business plan. This plan became a reality after he was released and founded Conbody - a fitness business centred on prison-style workout classes, led by formerly incarcerated trainers. Through Coss’s hard work, Conbody is making a social impact and has zero recidivism rates. Coss told Truly: “I definitely got a real second chance at life, but I think I made that second chance as I decided to make that change. I said, I'm not going back no matter what. I'm not putting myself in a position that was going to lead me back into this system.”

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