THE LION HUGGER MAGAZINE
Issue 01 · December 2026
Purpose, resilience and practical steps for people building across Africa and the diaspora.
From the founder: Why this magazine exists
What do you do when a plan you believed in no longer works? You might be building a business, starting over in a new country or trying to help a team through a difficult season. In each case, the challenge can narrow your view until all you can see is what went wrong. Purpose gives you a reason to look again.
In my work across agri-food, research and speaking, I keep coming back to a simple question: What problem needs solving, and who will be better off if we solve it? A business that knows the answer can choose what to test before it expands. A leader who knows the answer can explain why a change is needed and give people a part in making it work. A person beginning again can find a next step that is small enough to take today.
That is the idea behind The Lion Hugger Magazine. I want it to be a place where stories of hope sit beside practical knowledge. A story can help us recognise what is possible. A useful question, checklist or example can help us act on it. We will pay particular attention to the people building in Africa and across the diaspora, and to what they learn along the way.
In our first issue, we look at three decisions: when a business is ready to grow, how an overseas owner can support a local manager, and where a small team can try artificial intelligence without handing over its judgement. You don’t need to take on all three. Choose the piece that speaks to a challenge you’re facing and try one of its ideas this week.
“When purpose leads, fear bows—you can even hug a lion.”
I hope this first issue gives you both a reason to keep going and a practical place to start.
Dr. Harold Mayaba
Founder and Editor-in-Chief, The Lion Hugger Magazine
In this issue
Purpose-Led Growth: Seven Questions Every Business Should Ask Before Expanding
Before you take on a new location, a bigger order or a larger team, check whose problem you’re solving, what the numbers say and what you can test first.
Why Diaspora Investors Struggle to Manage Businesses Back Home
Give your local manager clear authority and agree on a short weekly report that shows how cash, stock and deliveries are tracking. Start with a market you can test.
Read the diaspora business guide →
10 Practical Ways Small Businesses Can Use Artificial Intelligence
Start with one job you already repeat: customer replies, a stock checklist or a handover. Measure whether the tool saves time and check what it produces.
Write for a future edition
Have you learned something from building a business, leading through change or finding a new direction? We welcome original stories that give readers something useful to take away. See how to contribute.