There are men who seem to carry it all at once, without anything spilling over. Louis Marty is one of them. Founder of the sports brand Merci Handy, husband, father of 2 children and stepfather to a teenager, he embodies a certain idea of modern fatherhood: committed, humble, and deeply loving. We wanted to ask him a few questions about what fatherhood does to a man. About what it teaches him about himself. Meet.
Louis, in a few words, who are you?
Louis Marty, an entrepreneur at heart and founder of Merci Handy. I am married to Alexandra, father of Ella (5 years old) and Alessio (10 days old), and stepfather to Sienna (15 years old). A sports enthusiast, I run, participate in Hyrox, climb mountains, and I like to challenge myself to grow. Above all, I like to experience these adventures and share these moments with those I love. All my friendships today are based on movement and sports.
For you, has becoming a father always been a given?
Yes, without hesitation. Entrepreneurship is my passion, but nothing has ever seemed more important to me than becoming a father. I have always dreamed of building a family. I didn't know exactly what fatherhood would look like, but I knew I wanted to love, protect, and support children in their own story.
What is the greatest challenge in fatherhood?
Accepting that we don't control everything.
Accepting that we don't always have the answers.
Children constantly push us to question ourselves, and ultimately we grow up almost as much as they do.
Being a stepfather before becoming a father, did it help you build yourself in this role?
Yes, but especially because it was a real challenge. Finding your place with a child who already has a history, learning to love without trying to replace anyone, accepting doubts… Sienna taught me a lot about patience, humility, and the strength of the bonds we build over time.
Dad, stepfather, husband, business owner, athlete… how do you manage to balance it all?
I don't always manage it. I simply try to be fully present wherever I am. Over time, I realized that the quality of attention often matters more than the quantity of time.
What has fatherhood taught you about yourself?
That you can love much more strongly than you imagined. It also taught me to slow down, to put things in perspective, and to understand that some achievements have nothing to do with work or money.
What kind of father do you want them to see in you in twenty years?
I would like them to see a loving, reassuring, and consistent father. Someone who encouraged them to be themselves and who was always there, in the big moments as well as the most ordinary ones (and the ordinary moments of everyday life are very important)
What advice would you have liked to be given before becoming a dad?
You will never be perfectly ready, and that's perfectly fine. Children don't need a perfect father; above all, they need a present father.
