Billy Dela Fuente is a self-made man. Co-Founder and CEO of XTRM 1-11 Inc., one of the largest communities in Philippine network marketing, Motivational Speaker, and Success Business Trainer, it seems he certainly has it made.
Though his success story is well-publicized, a lesser-known side of him is his being a father. Get to know this devoted husband and dad through their family stories; and find out, just like we did, that his family is what makes him truly rich and successful in life.
Tell us about your wife.
Josephine dela Fuente is the love of my life. Without her I couldn’t be as successful as I am right now. She is my partner, co-leader and best friend. She is the most beautiful woman I know inside out.
She is not just the mother of our children, but also mother to 150,000 people in our organization. She is my confidant, my rock, and also my shock absorber. She has a very strong faith and she influenced me to have a strong relationship with God. She helped me become more professional in terms on how to manage our business.
So it is true when they say “Behind every successful man there is a woman.” But for me, she is not behind me — because she is beside me. We work together. We grow our family together and we also grow older and better together.
When you see that your wife is exhausted from a long day, what do you do to cheer her up?
I make her laugh or I massage her foot. We talk and there are a lot of times when she does not expect it. I surprise her by sending flowers or any food she craves or likes.
Tell us about your kids!
My kids are still in their growing years and differ in traits and character. They each have their own strengths and weaknesses. Although they’re still young, we can see the greatness in the 2 of them.
Godfrey as the eldest is a loving Kuya. His name means “gift from God”. Ever since I was in high school, I wanted to have a son to be named Godfrey. He is patient when it comes to his little brother Enzo. Compared to other kids, Godfrey is more mature. He lends his toys so they play together.
Read: 10 beautiful children’s names in the Philippine language
Godfrey got accepted into one of the exclusive schools in the Philippines. He is very smart but needs to improve his handwriting and be more focused. He is sweet in his own ways. He obeys the things that I say to him whole-heartedly. He loves to talk and literally narrates everything he sees on TV. He is a future broadcaster.
On the other hand, Lorenzo or Enzo is playful and he loves to eat. He is charismatic and knows how to get on your good side. At the age of 2 he has the potential to become a good leader.
Every time they are in the playground, when Enzo wants to go somewhere, he can make the other kids go with him. Enzo loves the same food that I love, like fruits, things that are crunchy and ketchup. Lorenzo loves his older brother Godfrey. Everything Kuya Godfrey has his hands on, Little Enzo wants.
How far have you gone to make your kids laugh?
For us, it’s always fun in the morning! We spend a lot of time with them. I am blessed because of USANA HEALTH SCIENCES; I have all the time I want with my family.
I tell them jokes and tickle them; and sometimes we play hide & seek or play super hero time. Most of the time, [what makes them laugh is] when I impersonate some superhero or cartoon character, then I go and chase after them.
We have a lot of memorable travels. The first time I brought all of them to Singapore, we went to Universal Studios and they were super happy when they saw Bumble-bee.
What’s your favorite…
Daddy duty activity: Play time with the kids.
Parenting hack: Always give equal time to your kids so there will be no envy — there should be no favorites. Train your nannies because they are the ones who are like second parents to your kids. No iPads, because they can contribute to your kids’ becoming unsociable and for sure all they will be thinking about is playing video games.
Dad advice: Always have a balance in disciplining & being fun. Have a soft side and a hard side too. Teach them the right values while they are young.
Read about their funny family story that involves a Tic-Tac and a straw on the next page.
Tell us about your..
Most heartwarming Dad moment: Each time when my kids were born. I recorded each momentous event.
Funniest moment with the kids: Every morning is our funniest. Every time we eat breakfast, there is something new and funny.
I have one story though – Godfrey, when he was only 2 years old, was crying so hard and came running to our room. He says he accidentally put a Tic-Tac candy in his nose. Pin was freaking out, fearing he might not be able to breathe. I said we should bring him to the hospital; but my wife, being a girl scout, tried making a small claw-like instrument using a juice straw. She tried poking it out, but the candy only went further in. Godfrey cried harder.
I calmed my son down and told him it was going to be ok. Then Pin tried again and suddenly Godfrey sneezed and the candy went out and fell into my hand! The three of us plus the nanny were silent for 2 seconds, then we laughed our butts off. That’s one of the funniest moments.
Proudest moment as a Dad: When I saw my eldest son dance with no shyness. On that day too, he recited a poem that he memorized. It brought tears to my eyes.
Can you tell us about the most serious problem that any of your kids have approached you with? How did you handle it?
So far, no major problems. The least would be when my oldest son complains that he goes home very late. He leaves by 10am and arrives at 7pm because of heavy traffic and he is the last one to be brought home. By the time he arrives, his tutor is already waiting for him.
We tried looking for a new school bus but it was really hard because they were already full or the time of arrival would just be the same. So in the meantime, we rewarded him, with say, ice skating, or playing Playstation together to release some steam or stress.
Our search was finally over a week ago, when I found a school bus for him. The owner lives just a few blocks away from our house. Now he arrives at 4pm in the afternoon.
How has fatherhood changed you?
I am more mature. I gained a lot of wisdom and I became more patient, which I applied in growing the business that I started 7 years ago.
Did you turn out to be the parent you wanted to or thought you would be?
I am still in my “formative” years as a dad. Maybe I can share my answer to that when I see my kids raise their own kids.
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