Mississippi Native: Phil Stamps Jr.

"Mississippi has instilled in me a hospitable spirit."

What does it mean to call Mississippi home? Why do people choose to leave or live in this weird, wonderful, and sometimes infuriating place? Phil Stamps Jr. left his home state for college and then to hone his business acumen, but he returned to Jackson, Mississippi, to run his family’s restaurant, Stamps Super Burgers. He found that the opportunities in the capital city grew in the time he was away: “I am seeing bars, cafés, restaurants, and social lounge concepts come to the city that I noticed in cities like Atlanta, Houston, and Nashville.” As a native Mississippian and entrepreneur, Phil shares what has kept him rooted in his home state, particularly in the Jackson metro area.

Phil Stamps II is the operations manager of his family’s restaurant, Stamps Super Burgers.

Where are you from?

My roots are in Jackson, Mississippi. The first school I attended was Adhiambo School. Adhiambo was a learning institute for students ranging from pre-school to fifth grade. Once ranking amongst the top 20% of private schools in Mississippi, Adhiambo’s student body had traditionally been students of color. The school focused on teaching cultural values and ethics of African and African American history. The African teachings paired with a rigorous curriculum was an outstanding foundation to build on. I grew up the majority of my life in Raymond, Mississippi. After elementary school, I attended Byram Middle School and Terry High School.

Why did you leave Mississippi? Where did you go?

After graduating high school, I left Jackson to attend school at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. I graduated with a Bachelors in English in May of 2016. After graduating I pursued a sales career. My first job was a 100% commission insurance position. This was by far one of the most challenging jobs I’ve ever had, but it taught me the importance of relationship building and problem solving. After that position, I worked as a sales rep for iFLY, an indoor skydiving simulation experience. My job was to coordinate sales events for field trips, corporate groups, and general group events. It was at iFLY I started to learn the significance of operational structures like revenue tracking, customer service ratings, and the importance of incentive-driven team performance monitoring.

Why did you return to Mississippi?

I traveled back to Mississippi in pursuit of my passion of making an impact on my family’s restaurant, Stamps Super Burgers. I felt that my sales experience had given me a knowledge based in operational structure that could benefit the family business if implemented.

Was the Mississippi you returned to the same one you had left?

No, there seems to be a rising interest in the capital city that I had not noticed before. Growing up, most people would travel to the outskirts of the city for places to eat, play, shop, etc. That has seemed to change. I am seeing bars, cafés, restaurants, and social lounge concepts come to the city that I noticed in cities like Atlanta, Houston, and Nashville.

What does “home” mean to you? How does Mississippi fit into that definition?

For me home defines where you’re from and plays a huge role in developing life perspective. Mississippi has shaped who I am, and in return, I proudly represent Mississippi.