The C-Suite Exchange

On this episode of The C-Suite Exchange, James Forrest talks with Michael Goodmon, Executive Vice President of Capitol Broadcasting Company, whose family's work spans WRAL, the Durham Bulls, and the redevelopment of the American Tobacco Campus. The conversation centers on a belief Michael inherited from his father, that "the future is made of partnerships," and that a company cannot succeed unless the community around it succeeds too. Michael explains why he sees philanthropy as a duty rather than a marketing tool, and what it took for business leaders, Duke University, and city and county officials to take a risk on downtown Durham. He also shares why he believes a fourth-generation family business lasts by keeping ownership tied to the people who actually work in it. He speaks openly about his tendency to avoid difficult conversations, his concern that AI could widen the gap between the haves and have-nots, and the projects he is proudest of, including the American Underground, the Miracle League field, and more.

For more than 20 years, James Forrest has advised C-level executives, giving him a front-row seat to the business decisions that shape companies, careers, and legacies. The C-Suite Exchange gives listeners that same access. In each episode, James sits down with corporate executives, entrepreneurs, and boardroom leaders for honest, unfiltered conversations about what actually worked, what didn't, and the lessons learned along the way. Instead of the familiar "up and to the right" success story, guests speak candidly about the setbacks behind their growth. They cover the hard conversations they put off, the pivots they never planned for, and what it means to sell a company and figure out who you are afterward, along with the culture, shared ownership, and long-term thinking that helped their organizations last. If you're in the C-suite or aspire to be, or you care about leadership, entrepreneurship, and building organizations that matter, you're in the right place.