A dual-zone cooler taken to a $1.62M funding plan. I ran the market research and built the 3D model.
Kevin Backer / Marketing portfolio
James Madison University • Class of 2027
Kevin Backer.
Marketing student who turns research into plans people can back.
Featured project / 01
Explore Polar Flame
- 01
The student
Marketing at JMU, graduating May 2027.
- 02
The experience
Sales at Aflac and social media at PM Tech.
- 03
The focus
Research, positioning and the numbers behind them.
Featured project / 01
Polar Flame.
One cooler that keeps drinks cold and food hot. A COB 300 business plan by a team of nine, fall 2025.
The research
Built on real numbers.
I wrote and analyzed our customer survey, then took census and Mintel data from 74.19 million millennials down to 8,192 coolers in year one.
$8.19Btarget market
66%gross margin
The model
Modeled by me.
I taught myself Adobe Substance 3D to build the cooler you’re looking at, for a plan that asks investors for $1.62M.
Featured Projects
Start with Polar Flame
A year-long campaign for the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund’s 60th anniversary on a $19,491 budget.
Jif peanut butter in a 20 g sachet at a $0.22 shelf price, reaching $1.02M by year three.
Fifteen interviews on how what students wear shapes their confidence, turned into five themes and five tactics for brands.
Experience.
Three summers, three jobs: sales, social media and serving customers.
-
2026
May–Aug
Benefits Advisor Intern
Aflac · Long Island, NY
Business-to-business outreach for supplemental benefits: finding the right small businesses on Long Island and getting in front of the people who decide.
- Researched and qualified small-business clients by company size, industry and employee benefit needs.
- Connected with owners and decision-makers to introduce supplemental benefits, and booked the follow-up meetings.
- Supported client consultations and workforce needs assessments.
- Licensed in New York for Life, Accident & Health insurance in spring 2026.
What I took from itUnderstand a business’s priorities before presenting anything, then connect the benefit to that audience.
- Market research
- B2B outreach
- Client relationships
- Licensed
-
2025
May–Aug
Social Media Marketing Intern
PM Tech · New York, NY
Content for a company in the trades: photographing its work for the website and social accounts, and helping keep the site current.
- Created the photography for the company website and social media accounts.
- Made a Content Admin of PM Tech’s LinkedIn company page in July 2025.
- Assisted with setting up the website and keeping it updated.
- Learned the business from experienced trade professionals on the job.
What I took from itTurning information about a business into content that helps people understand its work.
- Photography
- Social media
- LinkedIn page admin
- Website updates
-
2024
May–Aug
Bartender & Bar Back
Tony’s Tacos · Garden City, NY
Behind the bar at a busy Italian-Mexican taco restaurant on 7th Street, one of the chain’s larger locations.
- Prepared cocktails to each customer’s preferences.
- Built relationships with returning regulars.
- Managed work areas and inventory, and repaired equipment as needed.
What I took from itWhat keeps regulars coming back.
- Customer service
- Inventory
- Fast-paced service
EXtra curricular’s
Trusted with the books.
Nearly $100,000 managed for one chapter, careers run for another, and five summers of service trips.
Move to tilt, select to flip
Treasurer.
Alpha Epsilon Pi, JMU · Since Sep 2025
Managed in my time so far, just under $100,000
- About $50,000 a semester through the chapter’s accounts.
- Work with the bank and issue members’ debit cards, like the one here.
- File the chapter’s annual IRS e-notice.
Budget vs. actual, 11 programs
Share of each allocation spent. Past the line is over budget.
Every transaction, all 188
One bar per ledger entry, in order. Refunds dip below the line. Point at a bar for its amount.
Where one member’s $650 goes
Event build-out: 27 items, $9,649
Director of Philanthropy
Alpha Epsilon Pi · 2024–2025
~$5kraised
- Ran fundraising events with other campus groups.
- Raised nearly $5,000 for Los Angeles wildfire recovery.
Professional Development Chair
Epsilon Nu Tau · Since Aug 2026
- Career workshops, networking nights and guest speakers.
- Resume reviews, interview prep and alumni connections.
Next Step Mission Trips
Garden City Community Church
5summers
- One week each summer at homeless shelters and underfunded schools.
- Los Angeles, Boston, South Dakota, South Carolina and Oklahoma.
Certifications.
Five credentials earned alongside my degree, from AI for marketing to a New York insurance license.
- AI for MarketingUVA
- Life, Accident & Health LicenseNew York State
- Human ResearchCITI Program
- Storytelling for Ad CampaignsLinkedIn
- Excel SpreadsheetsHarvard
About
Curious about people.
Focused on brands.
Outside of school and work, I spend a lot of my time playing golf, working on my Bronco, and taking on carpentry projects. I’ve always liked working with my hands and figuring out how things work. I’m usually finding a new project to take on or a skill I want to learn. I also make time for friends and family, whether we’re doing something outdoors or just hanging out.
- Studying
- BBA, Marketing
- Graduating
- May 2027
- Home
- Garden City, New York
