Being a professional model is just one facet of what 30-year-old Kevin Kalhori, or “Kev” as he’s known to his friends, does for a living for fun.

Not long ago, Kalhori discovered that wearing over-ear headphones during a workout wasn’t making the cut. They’d slip off during any standard gym routine; so, he came up with the answer, founding and inventing the “Jam Band.”

The idea was simple: Keep your headphones on your head, and your music, uninterrupted.

“I’ve always been a tinkerer,” he said. “I like constantly fueling my brain with knowledge. I saw a problem that I experienced, so I asked around and others had the same issue. Moving your head, during any kind of active sport, usually meant that your headphones would slip off. So, I created a device that would keep your headphones in place by attached clips to any standard baseball hat.”

The “Jam Band’s” simple clips also work on almost any headband, snowboard goggle or virtual reality headset. They’re also great for musicians who like to “rock out.”

Kalhori checked out different gyms and cross fit centers and showed them his design.

“They are very similar to what you’d wear in a recording studio,” he said. “And when you sweat or do something active like jump rope or run on a treadmill, your headphones slide off your head. The “Jam Band” clips keep your headset in place.”

Kalhori also listed lawn care professionals, who wear hearing protection and airport personnel- baggage handlers, for example- who have to protect their ears from loud noises.

“I’ve patented the product and I’m in the process of filing an international patent. That’s why I did a Kickstarter campaign.”

Born in Temple, the 6-foot, 2-inch Kalhori grew up in Hollis.

“I went to Hollis High,” he continued. “Then I went to Plymouth State for three years. It was great for skiing and snowboarding and hiking. Everything there is at your fingertips.”

When his dad passed, Kalhori said, “I found myself going home all the time and I really didn’t want to go to Plymouth anymore.”

He had a circle of friends who were attending the University of New Hampshire on the seacoast, so he changed course – the distance was virtually the same from Hollis to college in Durham as Plymouth – and he graduated in 2012.

“I moved to Boston after school, with the goal of just living in Boston,” he said. “I was working at a bakery called ‘When Pigs Fly.’ And then a friend said I should try modeling.”

Kalhori said he had been approached but never took it seriously.

“I had Lupus. I was diagnosed when I was 15,” he said. “I went through a lot of chemo and was really messed up by that. (He’s now healthy and in remission.) I was like 240 pounds with all the meds. I never really thought modeling could be a viable option.”

Once he hit Boston, he gave it a shot.

“And it just took off from there. Boston is a great market.”

Now, Kalhori keeps busy with both endeavors and travels frequently – something he thoroughly enjoys.

“Boston is busy,” he added. “I also go to New York and Chicago a lot. And I spend three months a year in Europe.”

He said he’s not a fan of famed shows during Fashion Week, saying, “I don’t really care for it. I don’t like catwalk modeling. I’m good at my job which is commercial print.”

Modeling also provides Kalhori with the ability to constantly reinvent himself.

“It’s never the same day at the office,” he said. “Everything is different every single time. And I get to work with a lot of creative people. So, there you have two photographers working on the same set, but they’re two totally different styles. It’s cool to get peoples’ different interpretations.”

He said the daily challenges of eating, and staying in shape, can be a battle, but as he doesn’t do gym or fitness photo shoots, it’s less problematic.

“That’s not me. So, I don’t have that kind of pressure on me. But also, at the same time, I like to keep myself where I am. And I get paid so there is that incentive to look good and stay that way.”

He said he misses his family most when he travels (he has three sisters with whom he is very close).

“And peanut butter,” he laughed. “They don’t eat peanut butter there. I spent 8 euro on a tiny jar.”

He hopes his “Jam Band” idea continues to catch on but, in the meantime, he takes his own advice: “I was tested at a young age, so now I don’t sweat the small stuff. It’s all about your processing skills.”

For more information, visit www.thejambands.com.

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