Jason Almeida is a Goan entrepreneur and the inventor of RAZE, a one-of-a-kind agricultural implement that cuts grass manually and also solves a number of problems faced by farmers. With the inevitable rise in prices for mechanical grass cutting equipment, RAZE offers the farmer a more convenient and cheaper option. As a result, their budget is freed up, allowing the farmers to conduct more rounds of field cleaning.
RAZE is the only manual grass-cutting tool in the world that does not cause back or wrist pain when used continuously and allows for cutting in an upright position. Its weight distribution ensures stability and allows the user to use the tool’s weight to help them with the procedure. This manual tool is more efficient than ever before, and it’s also simple and comfortable to use. Jason is preparing to market RAZE on various e-commerce platforms and is writing a training manual for it.
The man behind “RAZE”
Jason hails from the beautiful coastal village of Varca. On being asked about himself, Jason replied that he is ‘impulsive, passionate and curious.’ “Place a couple of magnets in my hands and I’ll be lost, forever. That’s my introverted self. Most of the time”, he says.
There’s also an extroverted version of Jason that loves hanging out at places where people are allowed to be silly and have a good time. “Good music with the right drink always does the trick for me. Switch over to hip hop and I’m naughty in an instant”, he says. “What I am also trying to say in my own peculiar way is that I don’t like feeling confined to a particular description. I love feeling like there are parts to me that no one will ever know and parts that keep evolving.”
A little appreciation goes a long way.
Jason or “Jase”, as he is called by the ones close to him, reminisces that one moment that had a very strong impact on him as a person. “Throwback to 8th standard, St. Mary’s High School, Varca. I received an award for “Most Promising Student.” I wasn’t a class topper at that time, nor did I excel at sports. Yet, it was given to me. It left me baffled. I was really upset that it was given to me and not to one of my friends. So I decided to live up to it. Even though at that time, it was like a nothing award to most people, I took it personally and started believing in myself
Childhood impressions.
Jason’s favourite childhood memories are of the local boys and girls who brought big personalities to the table, regardless of what cards life had dealt them. He is inspired by their extreme self belief and pure energy.
Role Models.
Jason has a long list of people whom he considers as his role models. Ancient philosophers, leaders that changed the world, inventors, athletes, musicians, friends, family members, locals. There are aspects to them that he adores and tries to adopt. When asked to name a few, he names Leonardo Da Vinci, Nicolas Tesla, Usain Bolt, Bob Marley and most importantly his dad Joaquim Almeida.
Support System.
Jason says that his family and friends encouraged him and helped him out many times at different stages in his life as well as during the development of RAZE and he appreciates them all equally. “I’d love to specially mention my girlfriend who has been there for me as much as she possibly could. There were days when I almost felt like quitting and she would be there for me, believing in me and constantly encouraging me”, he says.
On being asked about what advice he would give his past self, Jason says :
1. Don’t burn yourself out.
2. You don’t have to be a millionaire or a huge influencer to change the world. Start by being there more often for your friends, family and then move outwards from there.
People he would love to meet.
According to Jason, he would love to meet a lot of leaders from around the world. He would want to give them a hug and ask them to take it easy. He would love to take them for a cup of tea and ask them, “Why so serious ?” Just irritate them like local boys would do in school. Bring back the love.
His biggest challenges
In a world full of products and constant marketing, Jason found it a bit hard to convince people to adopt change proactively. The other challenge he faced was scaling his business and constantly improving his product in an ethical manner.
Words of Advice.
Jason says that he still has a long way to go. He has got another idea in the burner and would love people to go “How dare he ?”, “Who does he think he is to challenge something that hasn’t seen change in a long time?”. He says that we should be audacious enough to challenge anything and persistent enough to see it through. Even if the cards aren’t in our favour. No excuses.
