So you want to start a podcast? Think you need a $500 microphone and a soundproof studio to get heard? Think again. In this episode of Thoughts Off The Stem, host Justin Barone breaks down exactly how to start a podcast with zero budget.

Forget expensive gear and high-priced studios. You can launch a professional show from your couch using the tools you already own. Whether you're looking for a fun new hobby or a potential career shift, we’re proving that you can create a high-quality podcast with a total investment of $0 in 2026.

As an independent creator, editor, and producer with 5 years of podcasting experience, Justin Barone is stripping away the gatekeeping to help you enter the world of podcasting without spending a dime. This is the first episode in our new "Getting Started" series—designed for the creator who has the ideas but doesn't know where or how to begin.

In this episode, we cover:

• The "Hidden" Studio: Which tools you already own that are perfect for your first 5 episodes.

• Editing for Free: The best no-cost software to produce a crisp, professional audio experience.

• Zero-Cost Distribution: Free hosting platforms that push your show to Spotify, Apple, and beyond.

• The Creator Mindset: How to keep podcasting fun and avoid burnout.

• Your First Content Map: What to record first (and why your audience will help you find your "niche").

• Organic Promotion: Which social media platforms to prioritize for your first listeners.

  
  

I hope you enjoy the sesh!

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This seshisode of Thoughts Off The Stem is all about gratitude and refocusing expectations.

I have always wanted to get involved in radio and television broadcasting. So when the pandemic hit and we were all trapped inside during Covid-19. Like many other people I didn't have anything to do. Spotify for creators, then known as Anchor, gave us the ability to simply record podcasts. So that's what I did. I started recording Thoughts Off The Stem on a weekly basis.

It was designed to encompass all the things that would allow me to talk about a wide range of topics. The catalogue is filled with over 200 episodes, ranging from comedy, cannabis and entertainment, to stories of personal growth, self improvement, parenting struggles, what it's like to be a single dad with three kids and a whole bunch of relatable content about life.

It's been 5 years since the inception of the show and it's time to show some gratitude to you for coming back each week. Thank you! Without you wonderful folks I would not have kept going for this long. I appreciate that you make time for me and my silly.

The point of the show is to mimic a sesh, where no topic is off limits and hopefully I can provide you with a few laughs, a break from the worlds crazy, maybe get you to think differently and some times teach you a thing or two.

All I really want to do is put a smile on your face and add a dose of fun to your day.

This sesh is for you. I guess you could say I was all in my feels for this one and I hope that it hit's the spot and truly show's the appreciation I have for you.

Enjoy the Sesh!

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If you’ve ever been just high enough to question your entire existence, this episode is your new spiritual home. We’re diving headfirst into the trippy, hilarious, mind-warping question:
“What even is reality?”

In this episode, we explore:

• Why your brain suddenly feels like it has four tabs open and all of them froze

• The strange moment when you look in the mirror high and think,
  “Is that really me… or just the meat suit I drive?”

• How we’re all basically NPCs wandering around doing side quests

• The weird glitch moments in real life—like when you walk into a room and forget why

• Why being high makes everything feel deeper than it actually is
  (“Bro… time isn’t real. It’s just vibes.”)

• The possibility that we’re all living in a simulation run by someone who definitely forgot to update the software

• And the classic stoner spiral:
  “If reality is what I experience… who’s experiencing ME?”

This episode blends comedy, cannabis chaos, and stoner philosophy into one big, hilarious existential meltdown—in the best way.

🎧 Press play and prepare to question everything… while laughing your face off.

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