This year’s in Cala Ratjada, Mallorca, once again felt a bit like a class reunion.
Customers, partners, competitors, colleagues — familiar faces everywhere. The kind of event where conversations continue exactly where they ended the year before. As a representative of Avaya, we had the opportunity to attend as a sponsor, and I had the privilege of speaking about a topic that currently shapes almost every conversation in our industry: Artificial Intelligence in the Contact Center.
My presentation focused on something I strongly believe many companies still underestimate: AI is not just about features or copilots. The real challenge lies in the architecture behind it. How systems interact, how data flows securely, how orchestration works across channels, and how companies maintain control while still enabling innovation.
The discussions afterward were excellent. Inspiring, honest, sometimes critical — exactly what such events should be.
And yet, when the summit slowly came to an end, I had the feeling that many people in sales probably know too well:
great conversations, great atmosphere… but no real lead in the pocket.
At first, that felt slightly disappointing. But life has an interesting way of balancing things.
Because while I may have left the business side of the event without a concrete opportunity, I certainly could not leave Mallorca without taking at least a few photographs. As many people know, photography is not just a hobby for me — it is the way I slow down, observe, and connect with moments differently.
So one evening, I drove to the famous lighthouse in Cala Ratjada for sunset. Now, photographers will immediately know the problem: the lighthouse is actually much better photographed during sunrise. At sunset, the light falls from the “wrong” side. Not ideal. But sometimes you work with the conditions you have.
And sometimes, unexpected things happen exactly there. While preparing my camera and drone equipment, a young man approached me somewhat carefully. His name was Steven.
He asked if I could take a few drone photos and videos of him and his girlfriend.
Of course, my first thought was simple:
another couple wanting sunset photos on Mallorca. Fair enough.
But then he quietly explained the real reason.
He had been carrying an engagement ring in his pocket for three days, waiting for the right moment. And standing there above the cliffs, with the Mediterranean glowing in golden evening light, he had decided:
This was the moment.
And apparently, I was the right person to ask.
I honestly don’t think I have ever said “yes” that quickly.
Within minutes, business thoughts, AI architectures, pipelines, sponsorships, and sales targets completely disappeared from my head. Suddenly, the only thing that mattered was capturing a once-in-a-lifetime moment for two people I had never met before.
The proposal happened right there at sunset.
Completely spontaneous. Completely real.
And beautiful in exactly the way unplanned moments often are.
I photographed the proposal, captured some drone footage, and witnessed one of those rare moments where you realize that trust between strangers can happen instantly.
The funny thing is: Steven and his fiancée are from Saarland — not exactly my usual area for wedding photography work.
But honestly?
I would absolutely love to hear from them again someday and perhaps even accompany their wedding story further.
Because in the end, I did leave the island with a lead in my pocket after all.
