{"id":2851,"date":"2023-11-16T14:40:07","date_gmt":"2023-11-16T20:40:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/houston1.one\/?p=2851"},"modified":"2023-11-16T14:40:09","modified_gmt":"2023-11-16T20:40:09","slug":"stereotype-breaker-how-anna-reger-paved-the-way-in-houston-business","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/houston1.one\/en\/eternal\/stereotype-breaker-how-anna-reger-paved-the-way-in-houston-business-2851","title":{"rendered":"Stereotype breaker: how Anna Reger paved the way in Houston business"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>&#8220;You can\u2019t please all of the people all of the time,&#8221; said Anna Reger in one of her interviews. She is a perfectionist who, despite criticism, continued her mission and fought for her place in the sun in the male-dominated business world. A mother, wife and entrepreneur, she believed in the power of dreams and worked persistently to make them come true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anna has come a long way, from caring for children with disabilities as a teenager to overcoming life-threatening injuries and health problems. Her resilience and determination led her to become a prominent entrepreneur in Texas. Read more about the Houston businesswoman&#8217;s journey and achievements at <a href=\"https:\/\/houston1.one\/en\/\">houston1.one<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_74 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2f1a111a61e\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a2f1a111a61e\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/houston1.one\/en\/eternal\/stereotype-breaker-how-anna-reger-paved-the-way-in-houston-business-2851\/#Challenging_childhood\" >Challenging childhood<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/houston1.one\/en\/eternal\/stereotype-breaker-how-anna-reger-paved-the-way-in-houston-business-2851\/#On_the_verge_of_life_and_death\" >On the verge of life and death<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/houston1.one\/en\/eternal\/stereotype-breaker-how-anna-reger-paved-the-way-in-houston-business-2851\/#Gothic_Lolita_Wigs\" >Gothic Lolita Wigs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/houston1.one\/en\/eternal\/stereotype-breaker-how-anna-reger-paved-the-way-in-houston-business-2851\/#Flip_Lok\" >Flip Lok<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/houston1.one\/en\/eternal\/stereotype-breaker-how-anna-reger-paved-the-way-in-houston-business-2851\/#Advice_from_Reger\" >Advice from Reger<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Challenging_childhood\"><\/span>Challenging childhood<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Anna was raised in northeast Houston, in one of the city&#8217;s poorest neighborhoods. Being the oldest of seven siblings, Reger grew up determined and courageous. Her father lost his eyesight due to a rare disease and could no longer work, so her mother worked several jobs to support the family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.khou.com\/article\/life\/people\/our-story-our-history\/anna-regar-houston-businesswoman\/285-2c5685f7-d4dc-48f1-ad9d-35529d07aff1\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">KHOU<\/a>, she felt like a burden, so at the age of 14, the young rebel left school and ran away from home. Over the next 7 years, she took care of disabled children while living in an apartment with her then-boyfriend. However, a terrible accident put an end to this relationship and almost took Anna&#8217;s life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"On_the_verge_of_life_and_death\"><\/span>On the verge of life and death<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>At the age of 21, Anna got into a car accident when her drunk boyfriend was driving. One passenger in the back seat died, and another ended up in a wheelchair. Reger, who was seated in the front passenger seat, spent a week in the hospital intensive care unit and then in a wheelchair before she was able to walk again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A few months later, Reger was involved in another accident: she fell asleep at the wheel after a long shift at work. The girl&#8217;s disfigured face required multiple reconstructive surgeries, which left her with a lifelong scar from ear to ear. The victim&#8217;s nose was reassembled using cartilage from her rib.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.houston1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/53\/2023\/10\/xfydxykpxhkeaxhruqzksh5qowx7o3x243sx6ujdpfwcg_-okz3f7trwuatiastouw0ckvqhhlswspa9tw5zk4hzo4phjpgmp6ftqo1y2ov_dig07v181bvss0x8ovcq0niuana5uovo0vbtrpjiuh4.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Half a year later, Anna&#8217;s father passed away, which became a turning point in her life. These experiences instilled in her a deep sense of humility and gratitude for every day she lived. Since her father had constantly encouraged her to return to school and complete her studies, Anna decided to fulfill his request, at least after his death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Eventually, the Houstonian enrolled in a local college and then the University of Houston. She planned to study nursing, but she needed one course to fill the gap, and it could be an elective. That&#8217;s how she found herself in a business management class. It was then that Anna decided to become an entrepreneur.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Decades later, Reger owned several businesses, constantly transforming ideas into successful strategies. Together with her husband, John Reger, an equally savvy and creative entrepreneur, she invested in real estate, racing cars, and launched a successful wig line, among other things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.houston1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/53\/2023\/10\/i8bn_mfij9yfttyn9dyjkbsgocddcol61z8hzhdyudbtkkysg3cwi4abnjsqboyp_eadah_v9_9t1bzfvzlyyb5ja7soimayjhzyorpr3phppuyu00t9oliohky12frbcjybv8yjbc8rgne83zij8uo.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Gothic_Lolita_Wigs\"><\/span>Gothic Lolita Wigs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2010, Anna and John founded Gothic Lolita Wigs in Houston to solve a problem that many Japanese fashion fans faced: the lack of quality wigs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first collection of only three designs was sold out in 2 weeks. Subsequently, the designs were expanded to include many classic and gothic styles. With an expanded collection, the brand quickly gained a reputation in the global marketplace through online and word-of-mouth advertising from satisfied customers who praised the high quality, stylish and unique wigs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In 2011, the Regers expanded the company by creating Rockstar Wigs. The entrepreneurs began making celebrity-inspired wigs but soon realized that not all customers wanted to copy a famous image. Instead, they preferred to have a rock star aura that they could create themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Additionally, Anna and her husband launched Rock a Lash, a line specializing in costume eyelashes that can be combined with wigs, as well as the Don&#8217;t Kiss the Baby bib line when their daughter was a baby.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.houston1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/53\/2023\/10\/kuhdzuoaf_-b9w8bszng5they9sepaq-xqq251vfkicbiix8cdur6peucqwdzfyuvm1h54jtb6xhzwvhj0hdnczlqp-lbtfirvhxts2iugvftf2liqudwgto9yqfdhgkffglzpzrhhdjd3bd9358i_s.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Flip_Lok\"><\/span>Flip Lok<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>One of Anna and John&#8217;s most notable creations, Flip Lok, is a safety device that protects children at school, at home, in a dormitory, and elsewhere. The company&#8217;s story began when Reger, as a mother, wanted to give school-age children the opportunity to protect themselves in the event of an active shooter using simple but highly effective technology. Later, the Flip Lok device went far beyond the classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Flip Lok is a door lock that can withstand pressures of up to 1 ton. It is installed on any door that opens inward and outward. It is designed for easy installation and is available for residential and commercial use. Simply flipping the device locks it in place, and activation takes just a few seconds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/cdn.houston1.one\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/53\/2023\/10\/yaxlh-vpixebf0bwt7g9vuomhxu6jrfcrgk4-wiyritudywuwoagfi_tfqbza47lgv_bbcwtpkwippqklpwi4k_f7fmxh77km9ajow7fiecmtbswzh8ji0u0y7luqscxzqoy2fpis5wtskgiyqrqsym.jpg\" alt=\"\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Such a locking mechanism puts the power in the hands of not only teachers but also students. The school version of the lock has a large inscription &#8220;Call 911&#8221; to remind anyone with a phone to contact emergency services. The technology of this lock is patented.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The system has been installed in many schools in the United States. Patricia Hogan Williams, principal of the Imani School, a private elementary and middle school in Houston, said in an interview with local NBC in January 2023 that after years of research, they wanted to create an additional layer of security to protect their students from preschool to middle school. They chose Flip Lok because of the device&#8217;s ease of use as well as its ability to provide maximum protection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When an emergency occurs in the school, an alarm sounds, notifying staff and children to activate the lock. This gives them time to hide in the back of the classroom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Advice_from_Reger\"><\/span>Advice from Reger<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In an interview with VoyageLA magazine, Reger <a href=\"https:\/\/voyagela.com\/interview\/community-highlights-meet-anna-reger-of-flip-lok\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">shared <\/a>important lessons she learned from the business crisis:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>1.&nbsp; &nbsp; You can\u2019t please all of the people all of the time. The entrepreneur admitted that she is a perfectionist and always strives to please everyone. It took her some time to realize that no matter what you do, even if you think it&#8217;s for the common good, there is someone somewhere who disagrees. In that case, she said, you have to move past it and continue your own mission and journey, regardless of what others say or do.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>2.&nbsp; &nbsp; Believe in yourself. This is especially true for women in business. Anna was often asked to attend a business meeting with her husband John. In the business world, women are often not taken seriously. Once, Reger had a presentation meeting with a large corporation, during which she demonstrated website design. Anna was the only woman in a room full of oil and gas workers. Nevertheless, she sold the terms that were favorable to her because she was well-prepared and confident.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>3.&nbsp; &nbsp; Step into your power. As surprising as it may sound, Reger advised not to be afraid to reveal your power and use it to achieve your goals. For a woman who grew up in an environment where her father was blind and her mother worked all the time, it was hard for her to believe that women have power. It took her some time to be convinced and feel that she could exercise her power.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anna Reger&#8217;s story inspires, touches and, at the same time, motivates to overcome life&#8217;s challenges. She has become living proof that hard work and unwavering dedication to a beloved cause can change the life of yourself and the entire community for the better.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;You can\u2019t please all of the people all of the time,&#8221; said Anna Reger in one of her interviews. She is a perfectionist who, despite criticism, continued her mission and fought for her place in the sun in the male-dominated business world. A mother, wife and entrepreneur, she believed in the power of dreams and [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":328,"featured_media":2440,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1164],"tags":[1936,1938,1946,1942,1935,1950,1949,1943,1944,1941,1940,1945,1948,1934,1937,1947,1939],"moimportance":[81],"motype":[1158],"moformat":[93],"class_list":{"0":"post-2851","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business","8":"tag-advice-from-reger","9":"tag-an-alarm-sounds","10":"tag-anna-got-into-a-car-accident-when-her-drunk-boyfriend-was-driving","11":"tag-anna-has-come-a-long-way","12":"tag-challenging-childhood","13":"tag-constantly-transforming-ideas-into-successful-strategies","14":"tag-decades-later","15":"tag-from-caring-for-children-with-disabilities-as-a-teenager-to-overcoming-life-threatening-injuries-and-health-problems","16":"tag-her-resilience-and-determination-led-her-to-become-a-prominent-entrepreneur-in-texas","17":"tag-in-an-interview-with-voyagela-magazine","18":"tag-notifying-staff-and-children-to-activate-the-lock","19":"tag-on-the-verge-of-life-and-death","20":"tag-reger-owned-several-businesses","21":"tag-stereotype-breaker-how-anna-reger-paved-the-way-in-houston-business","22":"tag-such-a-locking-mechanism-puts-the-power-in-the-hands-of-not-only-teachers-but-also-students","23":"tag-the-girls-disfigured-face-required-multiple-reconstructive-surgeries","24":"tag-when-an-emergency-occurs-in-the-school","25":"moimportance-retranslyacziya-v-agregatori","26":"motype-eternal","27":"moformat-longrid-korotka"},"modified_by":"Inna Hananova","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/houston1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2851","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/houston1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/houston1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/houston1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/328"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/houston1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2851"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/houston1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2851\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2852,"href":"https:\/\/houston1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2851\/revisions\/2852"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/houston1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2440"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/houston1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2851"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/houston1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2851"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/houston1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2851"},{"taxonomy":"moimportance","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/houston1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moimportance?post=2851"},{"taxonomy":"motype","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/houston1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/motype?post=2851"},{"taxonomy":"moformat","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/houston1.one\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/moformat?post=2851"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}