The Hardest Step

Christopher Marte is the New York City Councilmember representing all of Lower Manhattan. When he isn’t challenging the real estate industry or organizing against modern sweatshops, he spends what time is left on his bike along the West Side greenway or trying to beat the Strava record on Governors Island. Before getting elected, he worked at Arena, where he helped flip seats and train the next generation of progressive candidates across the country. He has a background in finance, and graduated from LIU Global College, where he studied in seven different countries. However, Christopher never forgot where it all started, stacking cans at his father’s bodega on the Lower East Side.

Coss Marte was sent to jail as the ringleader of a multi-million dollar marijuana operation. He was also grossly overweight and warned by his physician that his current lifestyle if left unchecked, would likely kill him. Faced with this grim prognosis, Coss started to get in shape using the tools he had —his prison cell and his own body weight. Within six months he lost 70 pounds and replicated his successful formula of body weight exercises with 20 other inmates. Then he launched CONBODY, a prison style bootcamp that has gained over 50,000+ clients and hires formerly incarcerated individuals to teach fitness classes. Since the launch of his company he’s been featured in over 200 major media outlets such as NBC, CNN, The New York Times, 3 time TED talk speaker, and Men’s Fitness. He’s also won major pitch competitions such as Defy Ventures, Pitch for Good by TOM’s shoes, the YPO shark tank competition.