Rodolfo Saccoman works full time and then some as director of e-commerce for The Breakers resort in Palm Beach. But each week night around 8 p.m., he starts his second shift as an entrepreneur.

Despite the dizzying schedule, the University of Miami MBA graduate knows the value of making time for business networking. That's why he'll be immersing himself in UM's Global Entrepreneurship Week, which starts Monday.

``I wish I could clone myself into three people,'' says Saccoman, who uses nearly all his free time to launch MyTherapyJournal.com -- an online site for therapeutic journal writing.

There will be plenty to do at Global Entrepreneurship Week, which is part of a worldwide movement opening doors to people who want to start businesses. The UM agenda includes more than 50 speeches, panels, fairs, contests and networking events, most free and open to the public.

Last year some 3.5 million people participated in 25,000 events in 77 countries during the week. This year at least 88 countries, from Bermuda to Uganda, are participating.

Jonathan Ortmans, a founder of the global movement, says the week takes on even greater significance this year because of the anemic economy.

``It's going to be these new entrepreneurs who ultimately bring us out of this recession. They are creating the jobs and they are also finding ways to make a greener planet,'' says Ortmans, president of the Public Forum Institute in Washington, D.C.

Research from The Kauffman Foundation, a chief force behind Global Entrepreneurship Week, shows that more than half of current Fortune 500 companies were founded during downturns.

Saccoman's plans include attending an entrepreneurship fair, the networking event, sitting in on some panels and competing in the multi-day Elevator Pitch contest, which will award $80,000 in prizes to entrepreneurs with the best spiels.

``I'm planning something really exciting for that -- you only live once, you know,'' Saccoman says.

For him, the week will be all about promoting his venture and its proprietary software, which tracks users' progress.

The Brazilian-born Saccoman co-founded the company with his brother and a third partner. In September, Saccoman was on ABC's Shark Tank, luring $80,000 in financing and tons of exposure. But the first big contract has so far proved elusive.

``We just need one person or a group . . . to say, `You know what, these guys are on to something amazing and let me go back into my memory and remember when I was young and someone opened their doors to me,' '' Saccoman says.

So how does Global Entrepreneurship Week work? Locally, many events are grouped around themes, such as science and technology, arts and entertainment and sports, said Susan Amat, executive director of Launch Pad, the UM entrepreneurship career center spearheading the week's activities

LAUNCH PAD

Launch Pad is partnering with dozens of business groups, community organizations and colleges to provide everything from a video gaming fair to a fashion showcase. Among the entrepreneurial headliners are: pop artist Romero Britto, fashion designer Donald J. Pliner and Dana White of Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Four South Florida women's groups also will host panel discussions Wednesday on attracting investors and assembling a team and a luncheon featuring Suzy Welch, author of 10-10-10 and co-author of Winning.

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