Today we’d like to introduce you to Harry King.
Hi Harry , thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My journey to Kingdom FIT really started long before I ever opened the doors to a gym. Fitness has been a major part of my life for years, but over time I began to realize that it could be about much more than working out. I saw fitness as an opportunity to build confidence, discipline, relationships, and community while also connecting those things to my faith.
I earned my bachelor’s degree from Villanova University in 2017 and continued developing myself in the fitness industry through training and certifications in areas such as SilverSneakers, yoga, cycling, and boxing. As I gained experience, I became increasingly passionate about helping everyday people—not just athletes—discover what they were capable of physically and mentally.
That vision eventually became Kingdom FIT Harrisburg, which I opened in 2022. I wanted to create something different from the traditional gym experience. I didn’t want people to walk through the doors, put their headphones on, work out alone, and leave without anyone knowing their name. I wanted to build a place where people felt seen, supported, challenged, and connected.
Faith is a major part of that vision. Kingdom FIT is a Christian, faith-based gym, but our doors are open to everyone. Our goal is to meet people where they are and help them become stronger physically, mentally, and spiritually. That philosophy is reflected in everything from our personal training and FORGED strength program to our group fitness classes, youth programs, community events, and Faith & Fitness Nights.
Like any small business, getting to where we are today has not been easy. There have been financial challenges, staffing changes, long hours, lessons learned the hard way, and plenty of moments when I’ve had to adjust the plan. Being a business owner has taught me that having a vision is only the beginning—you also have to be willing to evolve, make difficult decisions, stay consistent, and keep showing up when things don’t go according to plan.
At the same time, some of the most rewarding moments have had nothing to do with revenue or membership numbers. It’s watching someone accomplish something they never thought they could do. It’s seeing a person become healthier and more confident. It’s watching friendships develop between members. It’s seeing people encourage one another through difficult seasons of life. Those experiences remind me why Kingdom FIT exists.
Today, I’m proud that Kingdom FIT has grown into more than simply a place to exercise. We’re continuing to develop our personal training, strength and conditioning programs, group fitness, youth fitness, nutrition coaching, community partnerships, and faith-based events while looking for new ways to serve Central Pennsylvania.
I don’t consider the story finished. In many ways, I feel like we’re still building it. My goal is to continue growing Kingdom FIT without losing the personal relationships and sense of community that made it special in the first place. I want Kingdom FIT to be a place where every body and every fitness journey has a place—and where people understand that becoming stronger can have an impact far beyond the gym.
For me, that is what Faith. Fitness. Purpose. is all about.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. Entrepreneurship rarely is, and building Kingdom FIT has challenged me in ways that I never expected. One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that loving fitness and knowing how to train people is very different from running a fitness business. As an owner, you have to learn marketing, finances, staffing, customer service, programming, facility management, sales, and leadership—often all at the same time.
One of the biggest challenges has been building a consistent membership base while remaining affordable and accessible to the community. Independent gyms compete against large national chains that can offer extremely low membership prices. I knew I couldn’t compete by simply being cheaper. Kingdom FIT had to offer something different: personal relationships, coaching, accountability, community, and an environment where people genuinely know and support one another.
Staffing has also been a learning experience. Finding talented trainers is one thing; finding people who understand and represent the culture and mission of Kingdom FIT is another. Over the years, I’ve had trainers come and go, schedules change, and situations where I’ve had to step in personally to make sure our members continued receiving the experience they deserved. Those experiences taught me that culture has to be protected just as much as the business itself.
There have also been the financial realities of operating a physical location. Rent, utilities, equipment, insurance, maintenance, marketing, software, payroll, and countless smaller expenses continue whether the gym is packed or nearly empty that day. As a small-business owner, you learn very quickly that revenue and profit are two very different things. I’ve had to constantly evaluate expenses, negotiate, make adjustments, and decide where our limited resources will have the greatest impact.
Another challenge has been balancing business and family. I’m a husband and father in addition to being a business owner. Entrepreneurship can easily consume every available hour if you allow it to. There have been times when I’ve had to learn how to be present for my family while still carrying the responsibility of a business that depends heavily on me. I’m still learning that balance.
I’ve also had to learn not to measure progress only by how quickly the business grows. There are periods when things move quickly and others when growth feels painfully slow. Early on, it was easy to look at another gym or business and wonder why we weren’t further ahead. Eventually, I realized that our journey doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s.
My faith has been extremely important during those difficult periods. There have been moments when I didn’t have every answer or know exactly what the next step would look like. I’ve had to trust God, continue working, make the best decisions I could with the information I had, and keep moving forward.
Looking back, I wouldn’t say the obstacles were distractions from the journey—they were part of the journey. Every staffing issue, financial challenge, mistake, slow season, and difficult decision forced me to become a better business owner and leader.
Kingdom FIT is still evolving, and I’m still learning. There will undoubtedly be more challenges ahead. But I’ve learned that success isn’t about avoiding adversity. It’s about being willing to adjust without abandoning the mission.
That’s one of the principles I try to teach inside the gym as well: resistance is what makes us stronger. That applies to a barbell, but it also applies to business and life.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Kingdom FIT Harrisburg is a faith-based fitness and wellness community built around a simple idea: fitness should strengthen more than your body. Our mission is to help people become stronger physically, mentally, and spiritually while creating an environment where they feel supported, challenged, and genuinely connected to the people around them.
We offer a combination of personal training, group personal training, strength and conditioning, group fitness, open gym, youth fitness, nutrition coaching, and personalized programming. Our members range from people stepping into a gym for the first time to experienced athletes preparing for competitions. One of the things I’m most passionate about is making sure people understand that they don’t have to already be “in shape” to belong at Kingdom FIT. We meet people where they are and help them progress from there.
One of our signature programs is FORGED, our group personal training and strength program. FORGED is built around structured strength cycles rather than random workouts. Members learn foundational movements such as squats, deadlifts, presses, Olympic-style movements, and functional exercises while also developing cardiovascular conditioning, mobility, and overall athleticism. We use progressive programming so members can actually see themselves becoming stronger and more capable over time.
We also offer a variety of group fitness experiences, including Cardio XP, boxing, yoga, and our women-only Buttz & Gutz class. This allows someone to build a fitness routine that matches their personality and goals instead of feeling like there is only one way to get fit. For members who need more individualized attention, we provide one-on-one personal training and personalized workout programming.
What really sets Kingdom FIT apart, however, isn’t a particular piece of equipment or workout. It’s the culture.
Large gyms can sometimes feel anonymous. You walk in, scan a membership card, work out, and leave. We intentionally try to create the opposite experience. We want to know your name. We want to know what you’re working toward. If you haven’t been around for a while, we want you to know that somebody noticed. When you accomplish something, we want people around you celebrating it.
Our Christian faith is also an important part of who we are. Kingdom FIT is unapologetically faith-based while remaining welcoming to people from all backgrounds. We aren’t interested in forcing faith on anyone. Instead, our values influence how we serve people, how we build community, and how we define success.
One of the best examples of that is our Faith & Fitness Night, where we bring people together for fitness, fellowship, encouragement, and faith. Events like that represent what I always envisioned Kingdom FIT becoming—a place where people can work on themselves physically while also developing meaningful relationships and being encouraged spiritually.
Community involvement is another important part of our identity. We believe a gym should have an impact beyond its four walls. Whether through youth fitness opportunities, partnerships with other local organizations, community events, or simply providing an encouraging place for someone who might otherwise be intimidated by fitness, I want Kingdom FIT to be an asset to Central Pennsylvania.
I’m particularly proud of the diversity within our community. Fitness doesn’t have one look here. We have different ages, backgrounds, body types, abilities, fitness levels, and reasons for walking through our doors. Some people want to lose weight. Others want to gain strength. Some are training for an athletic event. Others simply want enough energy and mobility to enjoy life with their families. Those goals may be different, but everyone deserves quality coaching and encouragement.
From a brand standpoint, that’s probably what I’m most proud of. Kingdom FIT has developed an identity that actually reflects what I wanted the name to mean. It’s not just branding on a wall or a shirt. People have formed friendships here. They’ve supported each other through difficult seasons. They’ve accomplished things they didn’t believe they could do. They’ve brought their spouses, children, friends, and coworkers into the community.
Our phrase “Faith. Fitness. Purpose.” summarizes that philosophy. Fitness is the vehicle, but the ultimate goal is bigger than a number on a scale or the amount of weight someone can lift.
As we continue growing, I want to expand what Kingdom FIT can provide without losing the personal experience that makes us different. That means continuing to improve our personal training and strength programs, expanding youth and community opportunities, developing our digital and personalized programming, building partnerships throughout Central Pennsylvania, and creating more experiences that bring faith, wellness, and community together.
The biggest thing I would want readers to understand about Kingdom FIT is that you don’t have to fit a certain image to belong here. You don’t have to be the strongest person, the fastest person, or the person who already knows what they’re doing.
You just have to be willing to start.
We’ll meet you there and help you take the next step.
That’s Kingdom FIT: Every Body. Every Journey. One Kingdom.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
I believe the most important quality to my success has been consistency. Motivation comes and goes, circumstances change, and there are always going to be challenges, but I’ve learned that you have to continue showing up.
That lesson applies equally to fitness, business, faith, and life. You don’t become stronger from one great workout, and you don’t build a successful business from one great month. It’s the accumulation of small decisions made consistently over time.
As an entrepreneur, I’ve had plenty of moments when things didn’t go according to plan. I’ve made mistakes, dealt with setbacks, had to change strategies, and sometimes had to figure things out as I went. What has allowed me to continue moving forward is being willing to adapt without giving up on the overall vision.
I also believe relationships have been essential to that success. Kingdom FIT is a people business. Someone may initially come to us because they want to lose weight, become stronger, or improve their health, but they often stay because they feel connected to the community. I’ve learned that listening to people, remembering what matters to them, and genuinely caring about their progress can be just as important as designing a great workout.
My faith ties all of that together. It reminds me that success isn’t only measured by revenue, membership numbers, or how large the business becomes. It’s also measured by whether we’re serving people well and having a positive impact on their lives.
So if I had to choose one characteristic, it would be consistent perseverance—continuing to show up, continuing to learn, continuing to serve, and continuing to believe in the mission even when the results aren’t immediate.
That’s something we teach at Kingdom FIT every day: progress doesn’t require perfection, but it does require you to keep showing up.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://KINGDOMFITHARRISBURG.com
