Defy Ventures’ biggest success story has been former drug kingpin Coss Marte. He grew up poor in New York City, and when people asked him what he wanted to do, he replied, “I want to be rich.” ...

When New York State legalized recreational cannabis, officials did so with the promise to give those affected by the War on Drugs the first opportunity to sell cannabis legally. But while the state ...

After featuring Coss Marte in The Lo-Down’s “My LES” column ten years ago, host Traven Rice connected with him again to catch up on all he has accomplished with his two innovative businesses, both of ...

And it's not alone. Across the five boroughs, other Latino entrepreneurs are carving out their space in the legal market, too: Coss Marte, owner of CONBUD. Jose Polanco, of Polanco Brothers.

Coss Marte, a former inmate turned entrepreneur, has successfully grown two lucrative business ventures in New York City, reflecting a remarkable transition from a life once mired by criminal ...

A lot can change in 16 years. In 2009, a drug conviction landed Coss Marte a seven-year prison sentence. This year, Marte expects to bring in as much as $12 million selling cannabis legally.

Marte, 39, is the founder and CEO of Conbud, one of the first businesses fully-licensed to sell recreational cannabis in Manhattan, and the first in the city's Lower East Side. After first opening ...