Branding on a Budget: Savings with Storytelling

🎙️ The Digital Collective Podcast
Episode Title: Branding on a Budget: Savings with Storytelling 
Host: Jarika Moon 
By: Lunar Innovations

Building a brand doesn’t have to drain your wallet — it takes creativity, consistency, and storytelling that connects. In this episode of The Digital Collective, Jarika Moon shares how she launched Lunar Innovations and this very podcast on a shoestring budget, using refurbished gear, free (or nearly free) tools, and a whole lot of vision.

We’ll dive into:
✨ Why storytelling is more powerful than spending when it comes to branding.
✨ Budget-friendly tools that make your brand look and feel professional.
✨ The emotional side of branding — what your brand feels like, not just what it looks like.
✨ A real behind-the-scenes look at Jarika’s podcast setup (spoiler: it’s under $5/month).
✨ How consistency turns fleeting attention into lasting loyalty.

Plus, The Jump Start brings you 3 must-know digital + business headlines, from health and wellness brands shifting spend into community-building, to Gap’s bold move away from promo overload.

Whether you’re just starting your digital journey or looking to refresh your strategy, this episode is proof that you don’t need a huge budget to make a huge impact.

💡 Share your “brand story beginnings” with Jarika on social — and remember, creativity always beats cash.

Refurbished Items:

 About 70% of the world’s cobalt—a critical mineral for smartphones, laptops, and EV batteries—comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Mining it often involves child labor, dangerous conditions, and severe environmental damage.

🌍 Why refurbished matters: Every time we buy refurbished instead of new, we reduce the demand for freshly mined cobalt and other rare minerals. That means less pressure on communities in the DRC, fewer children in mines, and a lower environmental footprint.

Note from the Author: 

Serisously, if it wasn't for Al Kogler and his Deliberate Direction program - I truly don't know if I'd ever have the courage or plan to start this whole thing. So thank you to Al - truly you've been such an incredible teacher. 

Check out Al Kogler and Deliberate Direction on Instagram with the link below. 

https://www.instagram.com/deliberate_direction?igsh=MThpMmtlbG50bnl5bA== 

 

Thank you Al - I appreciate you! :) 

 

- Jarika Moon 

 

Lunar Innovations and Digital Collective socials: 

https://www.instagram.com/deliberate_direction?igsh=MThpMmtlbG50bnl5bA==

 

 

Branding & Storytelling Tools on a Budget

1. Canva – Free (or $12.99/month for Pro). Perfect for social posts, logos, pitch decks, and visuals. You can literally drag-and-drop your way to professional branding.


2. Crello / VistaCreate – Another free visual tool for fun animated posts if Canva isn’t your jam.


3. Unsplash & Pexels – Free high-quality images for blog posts, social media, or presentation backgrounds.


4. Color Hunt & Coolors – Free color palette generators to make your brand look cohesive and modern.

 No Gatekeeping: My Podcast Setup

💻 Refurbished Laptop — making payments through NewEgg (refurb = sustainable + affordable).

🎤 Blue Yeti Mic — gifted from my sister (solid starter mic with great sound).

🎧 P8 Headphones — my all-in-one: workouts, podcasting, and blasting music.

🖥️ Audacity — free, open-source audio editing software.

🔊 Libsyn — my podcast host. $5/month for the Basic plan (storage for 3 hrs/month, 162 MB, analytics).


  Podcasting Tools Without Spending All The $$$

1. Audacity – Totally free audio editing software. Clean your audio, add music, and cut out the ums and ahs.


2. Anchor.fm – Free hosting and distribution. Perfect if you’re just starting.


3. Libsyn Basic – $5/month, reliable hosting if you want more control and analytics.


4. Headphones & Mic – Refurbished laptops + budget-friendly mics (Blue Yeti, Samson, Fifine). Your voice matters more than the gear!