South Africa, Aug. 7 -- Every successful entrepreneur has a story. We often hear about the funding round that changed everything, the expansion into a new market, or the award that recognised years of hard work. What we hear far less about are the lessons learned before those milestones, the moments of uncertainty, the mistakes that reshaped strategy, and the decisions that ultimately determined whether a business would survive or thrive.

This Women's Month, rather than simply celebrating successful women entrepreneurs, it is worth asking a different question: What are the lessons they wish someone had taught them before they started? The answers matter because they extend far beyond gender. They are lessons about leadership, resilience,...