Barbara Feigin: My American Dream

We sit down with Barbara Sommer Feigin, a trailblazing advertising executive and master storyteller, to discuss her inspiring memoir, My American Dream: A Journey from Fascism to Freedom. Barbara shares her incredible journey as a young German-speaking refugee fleeing Nazi Germany in 1940, growing up in Chehalis, Washington, and her relentless pursuit of the American dream. Barbara's parents instilled in her the belief that education was the key to unlocking opportunities. Despite the challenges, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in political science from Whitman College and completed a graduate business program run jointly by Harvard Business School and Radcliffe Graduate School at a time when women were not admitted to Harvard Business School. Guided by her parents' motto to “dream big, work hard, and never quit,” Barbara broke through the male-dominated advertising industry, becoming a pioneering executive at Grey Advertising (now Grey Global Group).

ABOUT BARBRA FEIGIN

Her visionary thinking and innovative strategies propelled brands like Procter & Gamble, Mars, Kraft Foods, Revlon, 3M, and Ethan Allen to new heights. Recognized as one of the century’s Legendary Pioneers by Grey in 2017, Barbara's career serves as a testament to her resilience and ingenuity. Currently living in New York City, Barbara leverages her extensive experience through Feigin Associates, LLC, optimizing companies' strategic direction and governance. She has guided prominent organizations such as JP Morgan Partners, the VF Corporation, Whitman College, and E&J Gallo Winery. As a young German-speaking refugee who fled with her parents from Nazi Germany in 1940 at the onset of World War II, Barbara Sommer Feigin spent her childhood and teenage years in tiny Chehalis, Washington, yearning to become an “authentic” American girl.

https://www.barbarafeigin.com/book