Mokhtar “MJ” Jabli of The Nightfall Group: I Am Living Proof Of The American Dream
An Interview With Vicky Colas
A quitter one day is a quitter for life.
The harder a goal is, the more rewarding it is when you finally accomplish it.
Only invest 100% of your time in things that will empower you physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. This investment will pay off in the end!
Is the American Dream still alive? If you speak to many of the immigrants we spoke to, who came to this country with nothing but grit, resilience, and a dream, they will tell you that it certainly is still alive.
As a part of our series about immigrant success stories, I had the pleasure of interviewing Mokhtar “MJ” Jabli.
Mokhtar “MJ” Jabli is a Moroccan businessman, real-estate investor and founder of The Nightfall Group, an exclusive residential rental and travel concierge company. After being homeless and then struggling to make ends meet, MJ began renting out his two-bedroom apartment in Long Beach, California. As he saw popularity rise, MJ expanded to additional properties, worked with celebrities from across the globe, and became a prominent figure within the hospitality and real estate industry all before turning 30. Within just a few years, MJ turned his entire life around and in his 20s, had already become an eight-figure millionaire. MJ shared his success story methods within his book, “Airbnb First Million,” which details how he made his first million dollars without ever owning real estate. As The Nightfall Group is based out of Beverly Hills, MJ frequently works and networks with other businesses in the area and his company is a part of the chairman circle of the Beverly Hills Chamber of Commerce. MJ has a bachelor’s degree in information technology from the International University of Rabat in Morocco and a master’s degree in finance from The National School of Computer Science for Industry and Business (ENSIIE) in Paris.
Thank you so much for joining us in this interview series! Can you tell us the story of how you grew up?
I was born September 23, 1992 and grew up in Rabat, Morocco with my parents and sister in a two-bedroom apartment. Despite the circumstances living in a small apartment, my family offered me a great life. When I turned 18, however, I had my sights set on bigger dreams and decided to step out of my parent’s house and start hustling. After high school I pursued my bachelor’s degree at the International University of Rabat, where I majored in information technology. I kept my head down and worked as hard as possible — that hard work was rewarded with a scholarship to one of the most prestigious engineering schools in Paris, ENSIIE known as The National School of Computer Science for Industry and Business. Within months I left Morocco for Paris to pursue a master’s degree in finance.
Was there a particular trigger point that made you emigrate to the US? Can you tell us the story?
It all started with a dream of an ambitious teenager looking for a better life. Growing up I constantly saw wealthy individuals flaunting fancy cars, homes and other luxuries and I not only was curious as to how they had these luxuries, but also how I could be one of them. I took this as a challenge and began studying and researching successful entrepreneurs and business executives to learn what they knew. What I found was that the U.S. was saturated with these individuals and I wanted to go where they were. Unfortunately, my parents couldn’t afford to send me while paying for my studies. I had to think on my feet to make this work and I found a way. Through my studies in Paris, I relied on a study visa to apply for universities in America and then transferred from France to the U.S
Can you tell us the story of how you came to the USA? What was that experience like?
Through studying hard and being diligent in my studies, I was able to be accepted into an exchange program with The University Of California-Irvine studying international finance. It was a great honor and was something I worked incredibly hard to accomplish. After I received my diploma, I worked as an intern in PAREX USA, a leading innovative construction solutions company in Anaheim, CA. While I loved my internship and the company I was working at, living in California on an interns’ salary resulted in some serious financial difficulties — the cost of living in California was high and I was getting paid only $400 per week. I found myself renting my room on Airbnb as a way to generate some income to cover expenses. Bookings became more and more popular and I ended up making valuable connections with Airbnb guests/community that led me to create the company I run now.
Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped make the move more manageable? Can you share a story?
I’m incredibly proud of my younger self for having a vision and making it happen. There were so many blocks hindering my success and instead of falling over and giving up, I stayed diligent and pushed through. I became resourceful, using the internet as much as possible for research, because I knew if I wanted to succeed, I had to. We live in an era where we can learn anything that we want using the internet — it’s a powerful feeling and is a valuable source of independence!
So how are things going today?
Since I began Airbnb bookings, my business has only grown. From renting out my personal apartment, my rental business has flourished and blossomed into my company, The Nightfall Group. We are now a prestigious company providing the finest concierge services and luxury rentals in Los Angeles, California. From luxurious stays at mansions around the country and private jet rentals to round-the-clock concierge assistance and yacht charters, The Nightfall Group provides whatever is necessary for its clients’ dream vacations, business trips, and event spaces. We manage a listing portfolio of real estate around the world from Miami to Dubai and work with celebrities, professional athletes, high-net worth business associates and more.
How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?
From my own experience, I realized that there are people like me around the world who are looking to create their own business and their own wealth. I combined all my knowledge and stories from my journey together and ended up writing a book that I called “Airbnb First Million, “as I was able to generate my first million from scratch without owning any real estate. My hope is to empower future entrepreneurs to find their own success even if they’re starting at the bottom.
Can you share “5 keys to achieving the American dream” that others can learn from you? Please share a story or example for each.
- A quitter one day is a quitter for life.
- The harder a goal is, the more rewarding it is when you finally accomplish it.
- Focus on yourself and your personal development.
- Only invest 100% of your time in things that will empower you physically, mentally, spiritually and emotionally. This investment will pay off in the end!
- There will always be people who will tell you “no.” Stay true to yourself and know that it doesn’t matter what they say — it matters most what you feel.
What is the best way our readers can further follow your work online?
They can find more information on nightfallgroup.com or find me on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mokhtar-jabli-30b60b118/
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for joining us!
About The Interviewer: Vicky Colas, Chef Vicky, is an award-winning chef in the Caribbean food arena. In 2012, Chef Vicky was awarded a silver medal for Caribbean Chef of The Year at the Taste of the Islands completion hosted by the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association. She was called to represent her country and be a part of the Culinary Team Haiti as a Culinary Chef Ambassador competing with 10 other Caribbean nations. The team was also awarded a silver medal for the Caribbean Team of the Year and received an Award for “Best Team for Taste of the Islands”. A published nutrition researcher, her study was selected in 2013 in the International Journal of Child Nutrition. Her recipe and interview have been featured in Essence Magazine online, Island Origin, and most recently the cookbook Toques in Black: A Celebration of 101 Black Chefs in America. In 2019, she was nominated in the “40 under 40” class of Legacy Magazine as one of South Florida’s “Black Leaders of Today and Tomorrow”.
Most recently, Chef Vicky was selected as one of twenty women candidates awarded for the 2019 James Beard Foundation Women Entrepreneurial Leadership (WEL) fellowship and is also part of a selective group of talented Chefs in the James Beard Foundation local food advocacy training programs. She is a wife, a proud mother of 3 boys, a business, and a food influencer in her community. Chef Vicky has been featured in her local news stations such as WSVN CH 7, Deco Drive, WPLG Local 10 News, 6 on the mix CH 6 and Good Morning Miramar.
Vicky is also a subject matter expert in the Hospitality, Culinary Arts, Restaurant Management, and Public Health (Dietetics and Nutrition) arena. She is a graduate of Florida International University (FIU) and Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts.
