Mustapha Jobarteh

Mustapha was born and raised in Maryland; however, from age 3-8 he lived in his family's home country of The Gambia in Africa. He speaks the national language — Wollof — and he fell in love with everything: the traditions, the music, the food, the people. It was a defining experience for him and he says it made him who he is today. The DMV area has such a rich diversity of people from all over the world, including a large population from The Gambia. It’s one of many reasons why Maryland is home.

Mustapha went to Salisbury College working several jobs to put himself through school. He was persistent. Determined. And he learned about resilience and the power of not giving up on your dreams. Originally an accounting major with a gift for numbers and math, he was also fascinated by marketing, advertising, and how people think. One of his business professors encouraged him to combine his talents in math with his passion for psychology, business, and celebrity real estate shows (hey hey “MTV Cribs”!) and pursue a dual degree in marketing and business management. It was a perfect fit and it laid the groundwork for a successful career in real estate.

He loves all kinds of music but especially R&B 90s, Toni Braxton, Janet (Miss Jackson if you’re nasty — and also his biggest celebrity crush), and the beautiful music from the Black Panther movies (which he proudly notes comes from The Gambia.) He dreams of visiting Greece, Italy, Morocco, and Egypt. But what really matters to Mustapha is family. It’s everything. Whether it’s playing basketball with his cousins or just spending time together, family always helps to rejuvenate him and remind him of his purpose.