Jim Lejeal

I'm CEO and Cofounder of Oxlo Systems Inc. We're developing next generation software focusing on the Automotive Demand Chain.

This is my third start-up. My last one - we took public: Raindance Communications (Nasdaq: RNDC). The start-up before was acquired by Frontier Communications later acquired by Global Crossing.

For a couple years - I "Angel" invested. I systematically invested against a portfolio objective ($ 400K across 10 deals in companies highly likely to raise venture capital).

I am currently on the Board of Rally Development .

About the title of this blog?

We lived in an apartment at 242 N. Vecino in Covina, California.

Everywhere was concrete. Near us - was an elementary school - I think it was called Barranca Elementary. That school had grass - but like most schools in the San Grabriel Valley of Southern California it was dead grass - brown and a lot of dirt.

Common to living in Covina are stage II smog alerts. I don't know if they still have them there - but in High School during football practice - the school principal would come out and tell our coach it was illegal for us to be outside.

Read this to learn about Upland and stage III smog alerts. Upland was about 15 miles from where we lived.

As a young kid - I hated it. Somehow I knew that "out there" somewhere else was a better place to grow up - anyhow...

I believe that where we grow up and how we grow up IS the major determinant on the person we ARE today. I also believe that where we grow up and how we grow up is a function of decisions made, luck enjoyed (or not) and about a million other variables that played a role in determining how our parents grew up and who they are.

When you take a look at generations behind you - or do this with other famliy members backgrounds (your spouse?) or your friends backgrounds - I believe you can get a sense of the major impact you can have on how someone grows up and who they become.

I vowed I would get myself out of there. And it drove me - motivated me to do something with myself. In many respects it continues to define who I am today.