The Apprentice: Winner Rachel Woolford reveals Yorkshire expansion plans as the candidate becomes a judge during entrepreneur awards

Despite being crowned winner of The Apprentice 2024, it’s business as usual for Miss Woolford at North Studio, with the 28-year-old still teaching classes and managing both her Leeds and Harrogate gyms.

Since her win two weeks ago it’s been a whirlwind of media opportunities and public engagements and she’s fitting them in around her day job. Today, she is covering an early pilates class before heading down to London to present at an awards ceremony.

Last night she was judging Leeds University Business School Entrepreneur Award 2024, alongside Jane Slimming, chief executive of Zeal and Becky Dam, founder and owner of Magpie.

Get the best business news, straight to your inbox

Over 163 students from 17 countries took part. They were shortlisted to 10 groups, from across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes and presented product concepts, costings and market research to the panel of experts for feedback on their ideas.

The overall winner was business management student Imogen Maguire who had an idea for an app to help EV charging cars.

Following the awards, all competing students have the opportunity to go on to work with SPARK – the university’s business startup service and they will also be invited to submit for a Climb24 event, a festival of innovation and collaboration.

“It was nice to be on the other side of the process and I really enjoyed it,” says Miss Woolford.

The Leeds-born entrepreneur appreciates the opportunities her recent prominance is bringing but admits it can be a juggle. "It’s hectic at the minute and I’m all over the place but I’ve had so many great opportunities. However, the key thing for me is running North Studio and teaching the classes,” says Miss Woolford.

Following her win, she has had an initial meeting with Lord Sugar, about the future of the business. Over the next few months she plans to open a second gym in Leeds as well as a reformer pilates studio in the city with his £250,000 investment.

During The Apprentice process she revealed how she was planning to open her next gym in Newcastle but the last few months have made her reflect on what is right for the business.

"Lord Sugar and his team are happy to support wherever I choose but I think staying in Leeds, close to where I am, makes sense at the moment,” she says.

"I’ve got his resources at my disposal but I’m still in control of the business,” she adds. “They trust me to get on and continue to build the business but if I need them, they’re there.”

The hardest part of The Apprentice process, she says, was being away from family, friends and her business.

She told everyone she was going on jury service – one of the recommended white lies for Apprentice candidates - before disappearing for nine weeks. “It was really hard. I’ve never been away from my business for more than two weeks and even then I can always log in and see what’s going on,” she says. “I came back from filming in London on a Sunday night and I was teaching a class at 7.30am on Monday morning. I wanted to get straight back into it.”