Maritess De Ocampo

Article (news)

Martin De Leon

Moira Macainag

For many business leaders, success is often measured by numbers—sales targets, expansion plans, and quarterly reports. But for Martin De Leon, Deputy General Manager of <a href="https://www.instagram.com/spatio.ph/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Spatio</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/soleacademy/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Sole Academy</a>, fatherhood has redefined what achievement truly means.Helping build a growing platform for Filipino entrepreneurs may be a significant part of his career, but some of the lessons that have shaped him most began at home. As a father, he has learned to see success not only through what he builds professionally, but through the values he passes on, the people he nurtures, and the kind of future he hopes his children will inherit.Martin reflects on how fatherhood has shaped the way he leads and how he understands success beyond business milestones.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1782756577551Martin De Leon_Profile Photo.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:481.992px" width="481.992"/>Martin De Leon, Deputy General Manager of Spatio and Sole Academy</div><div>Building Brands, Nurturing People</div>Martin was first drawn to retail because of its ability to connect ideas with people.“What first drew me to retail was the ability to connect products, brands, and people in a meaningful way,” he shares. “Retail is one of the few industries where you can see ideas come to life and immediately witness how customers respond to them.”Through Spatio, that connection has taken on a deeper purpose. The platform brings together hundreds of local brands, giving Filipino entrepreneurs a space where creativity and commerce can meet.For him, Spatio is not just about providing shelf space. Many of the brands they work with begin through pop-ups, bazaars, or online platforms. Part of Spatio’s role is helping them understand what it takes to grow in a full-scale retail environment, from merchandising and inventory planning to customer experience and brand building.“It has become a true partnership,” he says. “We learn from their creativity and entrepreneurial spirit, while sharing our retail expertise to help them grow sustainably.”Working closely with Filipino entrepreneurs has taught him that growth takes patience, guidance, and resilience. In many ways, these are the same lessons fatherhood has deepened in him: that people do not grow overnight, and that leadership is often about helping others find their footing until they are ready to stand on their own.“Their journeys remind me that leadership is not about having perfect conditions,” he says. “It’s about moving forward, solving problems, and staying committed to your vision even when circumstances are difficult.”That understanding of leadership has become even more personal since becoming a father.<div>Fatherhood Changed the Way He Leads</div>Early in his career, Martin believed good leaders were expected to have all the answers.Over time, that belief changed.“My management philosophy has always been centered on empowerment and accountability,” he explains. “Leadership is more about creating an environment where people can perform at their best and develop their own capabilities.”<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1782756646232Martin De Leon and family.jpg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:527px"/></div>Fatherhood reinforced that lesson.“Children grow and learn at different paces, and the same is true for people in the workplace,” he says. “Being a father has reinforced the importance of listening, encouraging, and helping people reach their potential rather than expecting immediate perfection.”Instead of demanding perfection, he now values patience, empathy, and trust—qualities that have made him not just a better parent, but also a stronger manager and mentor.“Success at work means very little if it comes at the expense of the people who matter most,” he says.<div>Learning to be Present</div>Retail is an industry that rarely slows down. There are constant demands that come with helping lead a growing platform.For him, balancing work and family remains an ongoing effort.“It’s an ongoing balancing act,” he admits. “Retail requires long hours, especially during launches, events, and peak seasons.”But fatherhood has taught him that being present is not only about the amount of time spent together. It is also about the quality of that time.“When I’m with my family, I try to be fully engaged and intentional,” he says.It is a lesson many fathers understand well: the challenge of working hard for the people you love while making sure you do not miss being with them in the process.“Family helps keep me grounded and reminds me why I work hard in the first place.”<div>Thinking Beyond Immediate Wins</div>Becoming a father has also changed how he makes decisions as an executive.In business, it can be easy to focus on short-term goals: quarterly targets, sales performance, and immediate results. But fatherhood has taught him to think more long-term.“As a father, you begin thinking about sustainability, legacy, and the kind of future you’re helping build,” he says.That perspective has made him more empathetic toward the people around him. Employees, partners, and entrepreneurs all have their own responsibilities outside of work, and understanding that has made him a more thoughtful leader.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1782756760292A420C6C7-58AD-451A-A422-7ED3CB9CCC58_1_105_c.jpeg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:566px"/></div>“Every employee, partner, and entrepreneur has their own challenges and responsibilities outside of work,” he says. “Understanding that has made me a more thoughtful leader and decision-maker.”For him, fatherhood has made leadership feel more human. It has reminded him that behind every role is a person, and behind every decision is a possible impact on someone’s life.<div>The Values He Wants His Children to Carry</div>When asked what values he hopes to pass on to his children, Martin speaks not of titles or ambition first, but of faith, kindness, curiosity, hard work, and perseverance.“I try to teach my children simple values that I believe will help them throughout life: to have faith in God, to be kind, to be curious, to work hard, and to never give up easily,” he shares.He wants them to understand that mistakes and challenges are part of growing. In work, as in life, things do not always go as planned. What matters is learning, adapting, and continuing with character.“I want them to know that success is not just about achievements, but about having good character, treating others well, and trusting God’s plan for their lives,” he says.<div><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/178275682539408E1AE7F-FBFC-44EA-B409-DFB57ED7AEF6.jpeg" class="fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:540px"/></div>It is this view of success that fatherhood has strengthened in him. Ambition matters, but it must be grounded in humility, gratitude, and purpose.“Hard work creates opportunities,” he says, “but character determines what you do with them.”<div>Building a Future for the Next Generation</div>As someone helping shape the future of Filipino retail, he hopes his children will inherit a world where Filipino creativity is recognized and celebrated.“I hope they inherit a future where Filipino creativity is celebrated globally and where local entrepreneurs have every opportunity to compete on the world stage,” he says.He hopes they grow up as consumers who see products and experiences that reflect Filipino culture, innovation, and identity. As future professionals, he hopes they enter a world where businesses are driven not only by profit, but also by purpose.“I hope they enter a world that values purpose as much as profit, where businesses contribute positively to communities and create opportunities for others,” he says.In many ways, this is where his roles as father and executive meet. Both are about helping build something that lasts beyond the present moment.<div>Success Beyond Business</div>Among the many lessons fatherhood has taught him, one of the most meaningful is learning to appreciate progress over perfection.As a parent, he has learned to notice the small milestones that others might overlook. His daughter, in particular, has taught him to see strength in perseverance and to celebrate growth, even when it happens quietly.“Fatherhood has reminded me that some of life’s greatest rewards come not from achievement, but from love, patience, and being present for the people who matter most,” he says.Looking back on his journey, he says the achievement he is most proud of is not a business milestone. It is the family he has built and the values they try to live by every day.“Beyond any business accomplishment, I am most proud of the family we have built and the values we strive to live by every day,” he shares.And while his career has allowed him to help build stores, launch brands, and support local entrepreneurs, he hopes his legacy will be defined by something more personal.“If there’s one thing I hope defines my legacy, it is not the stores I helped build or the brands I launched, but the people I helped nurture, both at home and in the workplace,” he says.Martin’s story is a reminder that being a father is not separate from the work of leading. In many ways, it is what makes leadership more patient, purposeful, and human.

Spatio and Sole Academy’s Martin De Leon reflects on how fatherhood shaped the way he leads, makes decisions, and understands success beyond business milestones.

Spatio and Sole Academy’s Martin De Leon reflects on how fatherhood shaped the way he leads, makes decisions, and understands success beyond business milestones.

How fatherhood redefined success for Spatio's and Sole Academy's Martin De Leon

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How fatherhood redefined success for Spatio's and Sole Academy's Martin De Leon

Moira Macainag

Published June 30, 2026 02:21 AM PHT

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