Smile Entertainment

What Smile Entertainment does

Smile Entertainment is a German sole proprietorship (Carsten Riedel SMILE Entertainment) founded in 1999 and headquartered in Fraureuth, Saxony. The company provides live event entertainment services, including comedy show programs ("EIN MANN FÜR ALLE FÄLLE," "Sahnestück," "SWINGTIME"), dinner shows and murder mystery dinners ("Venus & Mars," "Popstar – bis der Ton sie scheidet"), crime quiz team-building events ("Blutige Visionen"), event moderation, and DJ referral services. Since January 2022, founder Carsten Riedel has personally ended his 22-year DJ career and focuses on show programs and arrangements; DJ services are delivered via referral to vetted colleagues.

The company serves three primary customer segments: wedding couples (the dominant use case), private family celebrations (birthdays, anniversaries), and corporate events (Christmas parties, galas, team-building, conferences). A secondary segment includes bus tour operators and hospitality venues (hotels, wineries, restaurants) that serve as venue partners and referral channels. Geographic focus is Saxony, Thuringia, and Saxony-Anhalt with nationwide availability for premium events. Notable venue partners include Seebrücke Sellin (Rügen), Schloss Albrechtsberg (Dresden), Suitess Hotel Dresden, Romantikhotel Schwanefeld (Meerane), and Theaterhotel Parkschlösschen (Lichtenstein). Co-production partner Fadenkreuz Produktionen and technical partner B&V Veranstaltungstechnik support the corporate event pipeline.

The business model is project-based, direct-sales, and quote-driven with published 2019-2020 prices of 650€ (Mobile Disco, 18:00-01:00) and 850€ (Show & Dance, 18:00-01:00) including 19% VAT, plus hourly extensions. There is no proprietary technology platform; delivery is human-performer driven. Go-to-market relies on word-of-mouth referrals, wedding planner partnerships, venue partnerships, wedding fair presence (e.g., Hochzeitsmesse Moritzburg), and organic social channels (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Xing). The business has no external funding, no subsidiaries, and operates entirely under the founder's ownership.

Name

Smile Entertainment

Legal name

Carsten Riedel SMILE Entertainment

Website

https://smile-entertainment.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Smile Entertainment is a German sole proprietorship providing live event entertainment — comedy shows, dinner shows, murder mystery dinners, event moderation, and DJ referral — for weddings, private celebrations, and corporate events primarily across Saxony, Thuringia, and Saxony-Anhalt.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Event Entertainment Services

NAICS

Musical Groups and Artists (71113), Performing Arts Companies (7111)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSACACAI

Party DJ, Music & Audio Services

Home & Personal Services/Event & Personal Concierge Services/Party & Social Event Services

SECONDARYHSACAHAA

Live Music Booking (Bands, Soloists, DJs)

Home & Personal Services/Event & Personal Concierge Services/Entertainment Booking & Talent Management

SECONDARYHSACACAJ

Party Games, Activities & Interactive Entertainment

Home & Personal Services/Event & Personal Concierge Services/Party & Social Event Services

SECONDARYMPAGAHAM

Corporate Catering, Staffing & Guest Services (F&B, Security, Ushers)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Live Entertainment & Events (Concerts, Theater, Festivals)/Corporate & Private Events (Galas, Product Launches)

Keywords

• Live event entertainment
• Mobile DJ services
• Dinner show programs
• Murder mystery dinners
• Wedding entertainment services

Headquarters

HQ city

Werdau

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. DJ Services (Mobile Disco): Mobile disco services for weddings, birthday parties, corporate events, and celebrations. Revenue generated per event with hourly extensions available. Carsten Riedel transitioned from DJ services in 2022; company now refers other vetted DJs.
2. Show Programs: Live entertainment shows including comedy dinner shows, murder mystery dinners, quiz shows, and cabaret performances. Performed by Carsten Riedel alone or with partner Annegret Thalwitzer. Duration approximately 45-60 minutes.
3. Event Arrangements: Combined show program and DJ services bundled as complete event packages for celebrations, particularly popular for Christmas parties and weddings.
4. DJ Referral/Vermittlung: Since January 2022, Carsten Riedel refers vetted DJ colleagues for bookings. Commission or referral arrangement with trusted network of DJs.
5. Event Technology & Moderation: Sound equipment rental, event moderation, and technical services for corporate galas and conferences. Partnered with B&V Veranstaltungstechnik for larger technical deployments.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Smile Entertainment provides live event entertainment services for weddings, birthdays, corporate events, and group tours, including mobile disco/DJ services, comedy show programs, dinner shows, and interactive murder mystery dinners performed by founder Carsten Riedel (often with Annegret Thalwitzer). Offerings can be booked as standalone performances or bundled into combined show-plus-DJ arrangements, with professional sound, lighting, and moderation included. Since 2022 the company also brokers vetted DJs from its network for clients whose bookings do not fit the founder's show focus.

Product overview

Smile Entertainment is an entertainment services company founded in 1999 by Carsten Riedel, operating primarily in Saxony, Thuringing, and Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. The company offers a portfolio of live entertainment services including: (1) Mobile Disco/DJ services for weddings, parties, and corporate events with music libraries spanning decades; (2) Professional show programs including "EIN MANN FÜR ALLE FÄLLE" (comedy show about relationships), "Sahnestücke," "SWINGTIME" (swing music show), "Herr Riedel und Herr Kutschenreuter" (duo show), and "Blutige Visionen" (crime quiz for team building); (3) Dinnershows like "Venus & Mars" (comedy dinner with Annegret Thalwitzer) and Krimidinner/Murder Mystery events including "Popstar – bis der Ton sie scheidet"; (4) DJ referral services through a trusted network of colleagues; (5) Combined arrangements packages pairing shows with DJ services; (6) Event moderation for galas, city festivals, trade fairs; and (7) Product presentation and infotainment services. The company operates as a service-based business rather than a software platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Showprogramm "Ein Mann für alle Fälle" A live comedy show program featuring Carsten Riedel, combining humorous relationship-themed stories with songs. Duration approximately 45-60 minutes. Targeted at private family celebrations (birthdays, weddings) and corporate events.
• Dinnershow "Venus & Mars" – Comedy zwischen Messer und Gabel A comedy dinner show performed by Carsten Riedel and Annegret Thalwitzer, exploring perspectives of men and women with humor between meal courses. Approximately 3.5 hours combined with a 3-4 course menu. For weddings, corporate dinners, private dining events, and special celebrations.
• Krimidinner "Popstar – bis der Ton sie scheidet" An interactive murder mystery dinner where guests solve crimes while enjoying a meal, performed with Annegret Thalwitzer as "Kommissar Schau" and "Mimi." For dinner theater audiences, corporate events, and special occasion celebrations.
• Showprogramm "Herr Riedel und Herr Kutschenreuter" A live two-person show program featuring the duo Carsten Riedel and Nico Kutschenreuter. For private celebrations and corporate events.
• Quizshow "Blutige Visionen" A team-based crime quiz show where teams compete to solve historical criminal cases, suitable for corporate team-building events, Christmas parties, and company gatherings. Minimum 20 persons.
• Showprogramm "Sahnestücke" A flagship show program from the SMILE Entertainment portfolio, part of the classic live show lineup. For private celebrations and corporate events.
• Showprogramm "SWINGTIME" A swing music show program featuring standards such as The Girl from Ipanema, The One Note Samba, Fever, and other classic swing repertoire. For private celebrations and corporate events.
• Mobile Diskothek / DJ Services Professional mobile disco services for weddings, birthday parties, corporate events, and celebrations with a music library of approximately 55,000 titles spanning the 1950s to current charts. Standard package 18:00-01:00 with hourly extensions. Since January 2022, founder Carsten Riedel is no longer personally DJing; bookings are fulfilled through a vetted referral network of DJ colleagues.
• DJ Vermittlung (DJ Referral Service) DJ referral and brokerage service in which Carsten Riedel recommends trusted DJ colleagues from his network for events he does not personally perform. Offered for weddings, family celebrations, club events, city festivals, and corporate functions.
• Arrangements (Show + DJ Combinations) Combined entertainment packages pairing show programs (e.g., "EIN MANN FÜR ALLE FÄLLE") with mobile disco/disco services into a complete event concept, particularly popular for Christmas parties and weddings. Show & Dance package priced at €850 incl. 19% VAT for 18:00-01:00.
• Moderation & Event Hosting Professional event moderation and MC services for galas, city festivals, fashion shows, trade fairs, and discussion panels, delivered by Carsten Riedel. Includes TV moderation and voice-over / speaker services.
• Abendunterhaltung für Busreisegruppen Evening entertainment packages for bus tour groups, combining a 45-minute show with dance music at hotel events in Saxony, Thuringia, and surrounding regions. Typically 3 hours total with customizable programming.
• Produktpräsentationen & Modenschauen Vehicle (e.g., automotive) presentations, fashion shows, trade fair moderation, and infotainment for product launches and exhibitions. Targeted at brand and corporate clients needing hosted presentations.

Quantifiable outcome

• Pre-pandemic 2019 described as 'excellent year' with many beautiful weddings
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers14 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• TSC Silberschwan (Dance Club)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 October 2014Dance club whose performers appeared at Globus Zwickau customer appreciation event. Professional dance performances combined with DJ entertainment.
• Fadenkreuz Produktionen LichtensteincoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 September 2014Co-production partner for crime quiz 'Blutige Visionen' team-building event. Created specifically for corporate Christmas parties and team events. Joint marketing and delivery of interactive murder mystery quiz format combined with dance entertainment.
• Theaterhotel Parkschlösschen (Lichtenstein)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing venue partner for murder mystery dinner shows (Krimidinner). Carsten Riedel and Annegret Thalwitzer perform as detective duo 'Kommissar Schau und Mimi' in various production shows.
• Ines Wirth (Wedding Planner)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional wedding planner who coordinates weddings and recommends Carsten Riedel for entertainment. Long-term collaboration since at least 2013. Working together for wedding speeches, ceremonies, and events.
• Seebrücke Sellin (Rügen)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPremium wedding venue that recommends Carsten Riedel as preferred DJ and entertainer. 10+ year working relationship. Venue marketing promotes SMILE Entertainment services.
• Weingut Hoflößnitz (Radebeul)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWine estate wedding venue with strong partnership for wedding celebrations. First post-corona event held here July 2020.
• Vogtlandhalle GreizminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCultural venue hosting regular senior dance events and special occasions. Carsten Riedel performed at Brasserie Malz opening within venue.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Krimidinner.de: Germany's leading murder mystery dinner brand, producing interactive Krimidinner shows at venues nationwide. Directly comparable to SMILE Entertainment's 'Krimidinner Popstar' offering, which uses the same interactive-dinner-entertainment format Carsten Riedel performs with Annegret Thalwitzer.
• Hochzeits-DJ-Vermittlung (DJ booking platforms): Multiple German online platforms (e.g., djbooker.de, hochzeitsdj.de) that broker mobile DJs for weddings and private events. Directly comparable to SMILE Entertainment's 'DJ Vermittlung' (referral) service — competing for the same wedding couple customers with broader DJ supply.
• Bands4Booking: German online marketplace for booking live bands, solo musicians, and DJs for events including weddings and corporate functions. Comparable as a competing channel for the same event entertainment buyer, particularly in the live music/show category SMILE serves.
• Comedy Dinner / Dinnerkrimi Produktionen: Independent production companies across Germany creating dinner-show and interactive crime entertainment formats. Directly comparable to SMILE's 'Venus & Mars' dinner show and 'Krimidinner Popstar' products in format, target audience, and venue-based delivery model.

Broad incumbents

• Eventim: Germany's largest ticketing and live entertainment group (part of CTS Eventim), operating venues and promoting concerts/events across Europe. Represents the broad-incumbent scale alternative in German live entertainment, against which smaller operators like SMILE compete for premium event bookings.
• Mydays / Jochen Schweizer Erlebnisanbieter: Major German experience-gifting and event-services platforms (Jochen Schweizer / mydays). Operates as a broad incumbent aggregating multiple experience categories including event entertainment; relevant as an alternative discovery and booking channel for SMILE's target customers.

Emerging players

• Gigmit: Berlin-based digital booking platform connecting live musicians and DJs with event organizers. Relevant as an emerging marketplace model that could compete with SMILE's DJ referral/brokerage service by offering a more scalable, technology-enabled matchmaking layer.

Regional players

• Mr. & Mrs. Wedding: Regional wedding entertainment providers in German-speaking markets offering bundled DJ and show packages for private celebrations. Comparable in scope and pricing tier to SMILE's bundled 'Arrangements' (Show + DJ) product.
• Local mobile discotheque services (regional Saxony competitors): Numerous independent mobile DJs and small discotheque services operating in Saxony, Thuringia, and Saxony-Anhalt. Direct regional competitors for SMILE's historic core DJ business, particularly relevant given the founder's 2022 exit from active DJing.

Others

• Event-Pool24 / regional event agencies in Saxony: Small regional event management agencies in Saxony that bundle venue, catering, and entertainment services for corporate and private events. Comparable as ecosystem participants — both partner channels and indirect competitors for SMILE's corporate and wedding event business.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/CarstenRiedelSMILE
• Facebookfacebook.com/smileentertainment
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smile-entertainment

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Smile Entertainment