Tony invited many of the people who were a part of Selling Sunshine (many of whom are mentioned in the book itself) to meet ahead of the January release for the official release party.

While the book isn’t available quite yet, you can still preorder yours today on Amazon.

A picture from the event, held at the Dallas House of Blues:

As we approach the new year, Tony has some thoughts on upcoming and rising trends in business. Today, on the “Rise of the Solopreneur,” a trend that’s continuing in business, getting more important all the time:

A powerful new trend in business is the rise of the solopreneur — highly-skilled men and women who hire themselves out rather than continuing on in traditional, full-time employment. Solopreneurs aren’t wanting to take the large, risk-laden step of starting their own companies, but wanting to transition out of their full-time jobs, they have either the technical expertise or existing business connections to support themselves through a variety of smaller contracts. Technological innovations which ease communications and an increasing desire for flexibility has led to a much greater number of solopreneurs in the last few years, and that trend will become more pronounced in 2011, particularly as an uncertain economy makes part-time — but skilled — solopreneurs more attractive to small and large businesses alike.

If I started a company again, I would not hire the same full-time people; I’d tap into solopreneurs on a fractional basis, using solopreneurs to gain core competencies rather than hiring more all-around, full-time employees. Many CEOs feel the same way: you need the core competencies, but you don’t need the full-time employees. As the trend grows, solopreneurs will allow for greater flexibilities in business (particularly small businesses) and lead to more dynamic businesses with better products as the market of high competency diversifies in this way.

If you like what you’re reading, there’s much more: preorder Selling Sunshine today to find out how you can create a wildly successful business for yourself!

With innovations in technology and lowered barriers to entry than ever before on many types of new businesses, you may be thinking about setting up a home office. Here are some helpful tips from entrepreneur.com (full post):

1. Be creative with your space. Renovating an entire room can be costly. Instead of completely converting the space, consider using a screen to set off one corner for work. Otherwise, set up shop in an isolated, sparsely used spot, such as an attic or basement.
2. Don’t run to big, chain office stores for supplies. Consider cheaper options like Walmart and The Dollar Store for basic items such as papers, pens, filing cabinets, and bulletin boards.
3. Go green. Look into smaller computers, electrical outlets, and phone chargers that save energy. Don’t forget to turn off lights and unplug chargers when you are not using them, and recycle paper. You will help the environment while cutting costs.
4. Use what you already have. Look around your house for much-needed office items. Desks and lamps can often be found in attics or spare rooms while smaller items, such as staplers and notebooks, may be buried in closets from school days past.
5. Hit the thrift stores and flea markets. If you don’t already have furniture, visit flea markets and thrift shops to purchase items. Many antique pieces are affordable and can add a sophisticated feel to your home office.
6. Decorate the office yourself. The advantage of working at home is having the freedom to make your space your own. Be creative; hang pictures of family and friends, frame inspiring quotes, or hang your kids’ artwork.
7. Avoid landlines. Having a landline in addition to your cell phone can be costly and unnecessary. Use a cell phone for all correspondence. Instead of having a fax machine, buy a printer that has scanning capabilities.
8. Barter or trade with neighbors. Find items you need by posting ads on Craigslist or putting up bulletins in community organizations. If you don’t have extra items to trade, consider offering your professional services.
9. Shop the sales. Take your time setting up your office; you don’t need every item at once. Make a wish list of everything you need, prioritize the items, and only buy them when they are on sale.
10. Make yourself a D.I.Y. expert. Instead of hiring painters, electricians, and furniture assemblers, do everything yourself. It will be a fun way to learn new skills, and you will save a lot on these otherwise costly services.

Below are a pictures of a few variations on home offices — one fitting into a small closet, smong a few which are a bit more expansive, but unique. Via Lifehacker (click any of the images to find out more about them and see more pictures):

And, of course, no post on office spaces is complete without the famous picture of Steve Jobs’ home “office” circa 1982:

Tony was featured on the cover of this month’s Smart Tan magazine. Be sure to check it out; it’s the only place you can go to read an excerpt from Selling Sunshine!

If you like what you’re reading, be sure to preorder Selling Sunshine today. Just click here to preorder it on Amazon!