You don't really need high end equipment for podcasting. I ran a podcast for quite a few years (and also went to audio college) and I have a few recommendations:

• Make sure you get dynamic mics not condenser mics. The latter has better sound quality but will pick up every god damned sound in the entire room and cause untold additional hours of editing. You don't need expensive mics, as long as they're not cheap pieces of shit. $120-150 each should suffice.

• You'll probably want to use pop/plosive filters. They're not expensive but they will filter out some unwanted noises. Put your hand in front of your mouth and make a "P" sound like "puh - puh - puh" feel that? That's going to hit the diaphragm of your microphone and cause awful noise

• Yes I would recommend stands. If you're holding your mic you're going to be moving it around and it will make scruffy noises when you do that, and it's harder to ensure that the distance between your face hole and the mic diaphragm is consistent. Also, you need something to mount the pop filter onto

• You don't need an expensive DAW, something basic will be fine. Just remember to use a compressor on each of your audio tracks. If you don't know what that is or how to use it there are plenty of youtube videos. It's essential for getting a good, full sound out of your voice.

• Make a "hang 10" sign with your hand. When you are recording that is how far your mic should be from your mouth (give or take, maybe a little bit closer for podcasting that rule is usually for recording vocals)

• Personally I prefer to record directly onto the computer rather than a zoom recorder, but they both work. If you decide to record directly onto your computer you'll need an external audio interface to plug your mics into. If you don't want to go that route, zoom should work just fine

Good luck, and have fun!

Edit: I forgot to add, sound proofing your room is not necessary, it's also ridiculously expensive to do so. Just make sure that all your windows are closed, fans turned off, etc. Just reduce your ambient noise as much as possible and you'll be fine.

You only really need a couple of things:

1 - A way to get your mics into the computer. I like the Behringer interfaces with Midas-designed preamps (so not the very cheapest ones) for bang-for-the-buck. They range from $100-250 depending on how many simultaneous inputs you need (2, 4, 8). Similar hardware is available from brands like Presonus or Focusrite for more money. Those brands tend to include some software too, but usually more focused towards music production.

You can also get USB mics that have built-in interfaces but buying a dedicated unit gives you a lot more flexibility on mic selection. I'm guessing at least one of you already has a decent laptop; record to that in a DAW rather than to an intermediary device like a Zoom.

2 - Microphones. Seconding the advice to buy dynamics, not condensers; condensers really want a treated room.

How many colleagues are you going to have talking at once? If it's a ton, you can get decent (not spectacular, keep expectations in check) microphones for as low as $20. Behringer XM8500 (NOT the XM1800S) or BA85A, GLS ES-57. The drawbacks with this price range are: bad plosive rejection, which means you need to pay attention to technique, and use pop filters / clown nose wind shields; and handling noise, which means you need the mic in a desk arm or a stand, and you must not touch them while recording. Better not to even touch the desk.

These things get better when you get up to the $100+ range. The SE V7 is popular but there are a lot of handheld dynamic mic options in this bracket. If there will be a video component and you want something that looks cool on camera, one of the "broadcast-style" mics like a Rode Podcaster or an SE Dynacaster will look better than the handheld ones, but not necessarily sound better. You can listen to/compare a lot of different microphones in a similar context on the Podcastage youtube channel.

You're going to want shock mounts to reduce vibrations for the desk or floor or stand that make it to the mic.

2a - Microphone technique. Stay a roughly constant distance from the mic. Unless you're going to get loud, in which case back off of it. Don't talk straight into the mic - talk across it at an angle to reduce plosives. Don't swallow the mic, you don't need to be right up on it. Always watch your levels, you can't really recover a clipped recording so give yourself lots of headroom.

3 - Software. Don't need to go crazy with this. Audacity is free software that could get it done in a pinch, although it doesn't play great with the Behringer interfaces I mentioned above. I like Reaper for being cheap with no sacrifices (except included virtual instrument plugins, which don't matter here). Most any DAW will include the plugins you need to edit a podcast: EQ, primarily to high-pass out rumbling or booming; a compressor, to level out the dynamic range of the voices; a de-esser to bring down annoying sibilance in the high frequencies if applicable. De-plosive plugins exist but the best way to deal with plosives is not to record them in the first place.

There are also a ton of free options: Airwindows and AnalogObsession make cool stuff and give it away. Don't go crazy buying plugins (learn from my mistakes).

Exception: Waves makes a plugin called Clarity VX ($40) that is an AI-based background noise remover for vocal tracks. It is the only good use of AI. It really does the thing. They also make DeBreath, which is tricky to use but may save some recordings in post while you're figuring your technique out.

Always use less of an effect than you think is right when you're starting out.