by Brooks Borden - 7MS Editorial
This past week, 7 Minute Stories, reached #45 on Apple Podcasts in the Personal Journals category—its highest position to date.
The show had long found a home in Apple’s Performing Arts charts, where it performed consistently over the years. But last month, Calafato and his team made a strategic decision to reclassify the podcast into the Personal Journals category—a space known for its high competition and visibility. It’s the same territory occupied by heavyweight shows like TEDxShorts, The Martha Stewart Podcast, and S-Town.
The decision came with a level of risk. Entering a category filled with major players meant more competition for listener attention. But the team felt that the stories being told—personal, reflective, and intimate—belonged there. And this week’s charting seems to affirm that instinct.
For a show built on organic growth, word of mouth, and the power of simple storytelling, this is a meaningful milestone. It signals not just growth in numbers, but resonance with a wider audience.
Aaron Calafato and his team now hope to maintain that presence in the Top 50 and continue building momentum in the months and years ahead—one story at a time.