03 / THE PERSON BEHIND THE WORK

NOT ONLY
THE JOB.

I'm Mikhail. I like asking questions, bringing people together and making things real — whether it's a brand, a show or a group ride.

Mikhail Shal standing outside a red doorway
01 / AN UNUSUAL ROUTE

FROM NEWSROOMS
TO BRAND ROOMS.

I trained as a journalist. My early work took me through reporting, television, live interviews and communications. I learned to listen, investigate and build a story before deciding how to tell it.

At the same time I was involved with music: shows, bands, rock gigs and live production. Later came PR, marketing, brand strategy, team leadership and international creative advertising. Those worlds still influence how I work.

I've worked in-house and agency-side, alongside founders, stakeholders and independent creative teams. But I still enjoy the part where an idea stops being abstract and becomes something people can experience.

Mikhail Shal in a Mediterranean town surrounded by mountains01 / PEOPLE & CULTURE

GOOD COMPANY.
GOOD STORIES.

Travel, music, new places, long conversations and moments worth remembering.

CONNECT Running community after a morning group run02 / MOVEMENT & COMMUNITY

FIND YOUR PEOPLE.

Running, road cycling and creating communities that make the city feel smaller. I founded CONNECT Road Cycling and led the growth of CONNECT Running.

Mikhail running on the road at a local race in Valencia03 / RUNNING & HYBRID TRAINING

KEEP
MOVING.

Running, strength and hybrid training. I ran a half marathon in under 1:40 after less than two years in the sport.

Mikhail at an outdoor music and cultural festival04 / SOUND & STORY

ALWAYS A
CREATIVE SIDE.

Electronic music, indie rock, vinyl records, live shows and the stories behind the sound.

02 / WHAT I’M PROUD OF

THE THINGS THAT
STAY WITH ME.

Some are professional. Some happened far away from a desk. All of them took curiosity, discipline and people who made the journey worth it.

AFCON x Twitch creative concept presented for Young Glory, original project slide

YOUNG GLORY / TOP 10

A global Top 10 place in the Young Glory Student Competition, 2021–22, together with Fedor Belkin.

OFFICIAL RESULTS ↗
The roadside sign on the ride toward Barcelona.

VALENCIA → BARCELONA

Almost 380 km solo on a road bike in two days — when I had been cycling for only four months.

MY STRAVA ↗
CONNECT Road Cycling on a club ride.

BUILT FROM FIVE RIDERS

I founded CONNECT Road Cycling and grew it from five riders to 40+ on social rides, with nearly 300 members on Strava in less than a year.

EXPLORE THE PROJECT ↗
03 / WHAT MATTERS TO ME

SMART WORK.
GOOD HUMANS.

I love electronic music and indie rock, collecting vinyl, good coffee, natural wines and cooking for the people I love. I travel for new places and stories, and I enjoy building things with people who care.

Based in Valencia. Open to working with teams and clients internationally. If our values and ambitions align, the details are worth discussing.

ALL THE WAYS TO REACH ME ↗
EXPLORE THE THINKING AND THE WORK.
MORE WORK ↗LET'S TALK ↗