Reaching Past the Status Quo - Kingdom FIT Harrisburg

Team Subkit -

Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in health and fitness but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Harry King, Owner of Kingdom FIT Harrisburg, located in Harrisburg, PA, USA.

What's your business, and who are your customers?

Kingdom Fit is a gym in Harrisburg with two goals:

1. Provide a safe, clean, and fun exercise space for all Harrisburgians. This goal is accomplished by providing a state-of-the-art facility with the circuit, cardio, and weight lifting equipment, promoting group fitness and personal training sessions, dedicating a large portion of our facility to athletic performance training, and offering both indoor and outdoor sessions/workouts for all patrons.

2. Help end the cycle of disunity in our city. We accomplish this goal in three phases:

  • Offering a vocational learning program starting in middle schools and ending with an employment/management opportunity with Kingdom Fit.
  • Partnering with the city as an advocacy program for youth in Harrisburg. Youth can be required to attend Kingdom Fit a certain number of hours/days per week as part of Kingdom Empowerment Inc. After successfully completing the RAM program; Kingdom Empowerment Inc will “sponsor” the youth to continue to utilize the gym with a free membership.
  • Kingdom Fit will bring seemingly dissimilar patrons into the facility by opening our doors to the entire Harrisburg community

Tell us about yourself

I graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies degree from Villanova University, Villanova, PA. I was a recipient of the University of Pennsylvania Academic Scholarship.

I'm a master trainer at 5 Bridges Health & Fitness Camp Hill, providing one-on-one personal training (all demographics), personal and professional development of trainers in their first year, and facilitating fitness classes(yoga, cycling, boot camps). I am also the CEO of Kingdom Empowerment Inc. and Kingdom Fit Gear, where I manage finances, website/social media maintenance, and grant research and applications.

Some of my activities and awards are:
- Trainer of the Year, Harrisburg Magazine Simply The Best 2020
- Trainer of the Year, Pro Fitness Program 2020
- Temple University Inside/Out Exchange Program Think Tank(2009-2017)

What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?

Kingdom Fit is a cutting-edge program that addresses gaps in three systems: community, service, and fitness. We have a distinct position in the community by offering transitional employment opportunities to men and women coming out of underserved areas. We not only provide a four-six-month curriculum based on fitness and job readiness but also continue our services post-employment. Currently, in Harrisburg, there are minimal options for youth in order to satisfy their needs. Kingdom Fit offers another option to youth with a fitness and/or athletic passion.

Our location, price, and services also reach an audience in need. Kingdom Fit is accessible via all mass transit systems in Harrisburg and provides a range of fitness opportunities. While we have the facility for athletic and performance-based training, we also appeal to the gym-goer who wants to maintain health, join group fitness, or work with a private personal trainer.

Lastly, the experience of the owner and founder combines expertise in all aspects of this venture. As the owner, I possess the fitness background, criminal, and connections to bring all sectors together on this venture.

What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?

From CDC's Pennsylvania State Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity Profile. Obesity has important consequences on our nation’s health and economy. It is linked to a number of chronic diseases, including coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and some cancers (NIH Clinical Guidelines, 1998). Among adults, the medical costs associated with obesity are estimated at 147 billion dollars (Finkelstein, 2009). Many American communities are characterized by unhealthy options when it comes to diet and physical activity. We need public health approaches that make healthy options available, accessible, and affordable for all Americans. You can click this link for more information.

What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?

  1. Trust in something that is bigger than anything you will ever see.
  2. Have the courage to commit.
  3. Jeremiah 29:11

There is a plan for you.

Is there anything else you'd like to share?

We also are partnered with Kingdom Empowerment Inc. One of the most effective ways for a person to learn is for them to be an active participant in the critical thinking element of an experience. Kingdom Empowerment will provide exercises that will allow participants to develop through an inclusive process. Kingdom Empowerment will give participants the opportunity to have the ability to connect what they are learning with “real world” experiences, essentially cultivating an active listener. As we navigate through this journey called life, we want to have a sense of direction that keeps us on the right path; Kingdom Empowerment will do that.

Where can people find you and your business?

Website: https://www.kingdomfitharrisburg.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kingdomfitharrisburg/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kingdomfit717/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/harry-king-3a4983139/

If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solo or small business entrepreneur that you'd like to share, then please answer these interview questions. We'd love to feature your journey on these pages.

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