Who could have guessed that Fireflies would be the spark that connected these two unlikely opposites and started a Zen-life phenomenon?

Thousand Oaks, CA -- March 21, 2008 -– When Mark McGinnis and Kim Parr first met it was quickly apparent that they had virtually nothing in common. Just 24 months later, not only were they married, but they were also running several successful businesses and truly living the Zen lifestyle.

The plan was to meet for drinks—one more of many first dates they each had endured over the last few years. One of the first things that Mark noticed about Kim, whom he discovered was a part-time actress and full-time student, was her positive, almost holistic, outlook on life. Kim discovered that Mark was a consummate entrepreneur knee-deep in the marketing of a quirky little product called Fireflies. Kim’s interest was more than a little piqued (by both Mark and Fireflies). And so, she would spend the rest of the evening learning about Mark’s moving and glowing Fireflies.

Drinks turned into dinner, and conversation turned into dreams filled with “What ifs” and Why nots.” Again, this was not a typical date. Dessert did not mark the end of what was culminating. Mark continued to fill Kim in on details about the ups and downs of Magical Fireflies—difficult partners (one of whom was Mark’s father), inventory mysteriously missing, manufacturing glitches, etc., etc.

After Kim saw the robotic Fireflies in person for the first time she was struck by how they moved and danced. Kim just smiled and said, “They are so romantic.” She knew Mark had a special product on his hands.

Kim helped Mark realize that many of the problems he was having were not due to bad luck but were more a case of poor timing and other unseen forces at work. During that time Mark was open and willing to explore all ways of thinking to get past the roadblocks he was experiencing. This paved the way for the day that Mark and Kim went to visit Kim’s long-time Vedic astrologer, Chakrapani. Here, in a scheduled reading, it was discovered that the date on which Mark birthed his Fireflies business destined it to fail.

Chakrapani explained that the planets were aligned in such a way that success was virtually impossible. Since giving up was not an option, Mark and Kim threw caution to the wind and immediately dissolved any trace of the doomed corporation—a formidable task. Chakrapani offered a new date for the birth of a new corporation. As the renowned astrologer put it, “Your new corporation will be benefited due to the auspicious alignment of all the heavenly bodies on that particular day. Any business started under this new corporation will have success through your dedicated efforts.”

And success did start to flow. In just a few weeks the demand for Fireflies skyrocketed. People responded so intensely to the realistic way these Fireflies moved and danced that they literally fell in love with them! This series of circumstances led Mark and Kim, now a consummate entrepreneur in her own right, to conduct business and their personal lives markedly differently. They were now willing to reevaluate many of their own (as well as society’s) pre-conceived ideas on how to build their business and live a fulfilling life. “Everything we do now is pretty much online,” says Mark. “We certainly don’t work a typical 8-hour day … we take breaks or run off to the coast for a few days to recharge. We are just beginning to enjoy the kind of life we hoped for.”

Recently married on a secluded Kauai beach, Mark and Kim express gratitude for their good fortune every day. Today they live with the awareness that many times things are not always as they appear on the surface. Their whirlwind story continues with the opening of the highly successful online store, www.aZenGift.com , which provides a new home for their now popular Fireflies product as well as a robust selection of other cool inspirational gift items and health-related products. Kim never could have imagined that she would be living such a wonderful life. As she puts it, “I’m pursuing a life that embodies our outlook on life and supports a truly inspired Zen-like life.”

If you would like more information about Mark and Kim’s story, Magical Fireflies and … a Zen Gift, see their website at www.azengift.com , or to schedule an interview with Mark and Kim, please call Donna Tunno at 805 277-9136 or email at This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

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