Podcast Summary: The Messy Parts with Maryam Banikarim

Episode: How to Reinvent Yourself When You "Should Have Figured It Out By Now": Kelly Kopp
Date: November 17, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Maryam Banikarim sits down with Kelly Kopp—known to many as “New York City Cop” on social media—for an open, vulnerable exploration of what it means to reinvent yourself, especially when life seems to fall apart at an age when you "should have it all figured out." Kelly shares the tumultuous series of losses that led him to leave Orlando for New York City in his forties, and how, through photography and an unwavering passion for the city, he transformed his life and career. This episode dives deep into resilience, the importance of following your passion, and the messy, non-linear path to self-discovery.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Hitting Rock Bottom and Facing Loss

• Kelly recounts losing his home during the 2008 mortgage crisis, his job due to the economic downturn, suffering a major health scare without insurance, and, most painfully, the loss of his best friend Sandy to cancer.
• Quote:

  “I was sitting at the edge of my pool, looking in the pool, thinking, I can understand. Not that I would ever do anything, but I could understand how people could use the point and be like, I just can't do it anymore.” — Kelly (A) [00:48]

2. The Role of Friendship and Grief as a Catalyst

• Sandy’s death became a pivotal moment for Kelly, teaching him the brevity of life and the value of truly living.
• Quote:

  “She taught me life’s short. Enjoy it. We’re only on this earth for so long. Appreciate every single moment and go live.” — Kelly (A) [05:40]

3. Reinvention in New York City

• Spurred by loss, Kelly sold everything and moved to New York with a single suitcase, determined to begin anew.
• He originally planned to go back to school for forensic psychology, inspired by crime scene photography, but a clerical error redirected him toward amateur street photography.
• Quote:

  “I moved to New York with a suitcase... I felt scared. Not at all. Not scared at all. When Sandy passed away, she kicked me, you know, said, go, go live your life. I was just determined to make it work in New York City.” — Kelly (A) [07:00–07:13]

4. Finding Joy Through Passion

• Kelly describes feeling real joy for the first time walking through Central Park with a camera, eventually connecting with the Central Park Conservancy and finding mentorship in Jim McGuire.
• Quote:

  “I had never, ever felt joy until I moved to New York City... I was like, wow. I was aware: this is joy.” — Kelly (A) [08:10]

5. Building a Brand & Community on Social Media

• By focusing obsessively on New York City’s beauty (rather than himself), Kelly built one of the most popular NYC photography accounts, inspiring followers worldwide.
• He monetized his work through multiple channels: influencer partnerships, tours where he photographs visitors with their phones, and community involvement.

6. Lessons on Reinvention and Success

Kelly’s advice is distilled to several practical lessons:

• Consistency: “Every single day, I mean, every morning I get up and I’m out the door.” — Kelly (A) [11:23]
• Side Hustles & Focus: Have multiple income streams but a single, authentic brand focus.

  “My brand is New York City. It’s all about New York City. It’s not about me. Sometimes people are like, show your face... but I really don’t, because I want to show New York City.” — Kelly (A) [13:43]

• Passion:

  “If you have a passion... do it, go for it, it’ll work.” — Kelly (A) [12:57]

• Adaptability: Kelly adapted from professional cameras to smartphone photography, and now enthusiastically embraces AI tools like ChatGPT to enhance his captions and learning.
• Community:

  “When everybody’s doing their passion and has that commonality, there’s no space for negativity... everyone’s positive and inspiring to be around.” — Kelly (A) [17:53]

7. Navigating Setbacks and Motivation

• Kelly admits not everything has been smooth, but he emphasizes the need to keep going, find motivation (sometimes through books or motivational social content), and give yourself permission to process tough feelings—then keep moving forward.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the transformative power of loss:

  “I just think you have to get through those bad experiences to see the joy in life, because it is there. Because I didn’t see the joy in life while I was going through it, but once I came out of it, I found my joy in life.” — Kelly (A) [16:59]

• On the energy and reality of New York City:

  “People think that it’s constant chaos and danger here, which it’s not... For the most part it’s a beautiful city. For the most part it’s pretty safe. What you see with my social media, my photography, my live videos, is what you see is what you get.” — Kelly (A) [23:17]

• On arriving in New York:

  “I just found I was in a place I was supposed to be.” — Kelly (A) [17:36]

• What he’d tell his lowest self:

  “You’ll be okay. That’s the only thing I would think I would need to hear at that point, is, you’ll be okay, and then go for it after that.” — Kelly (A) [29:19]

Important Segment Timestamps

• Rock bottom and Sandy’s loss: [00:00–05:18]
• Decision to move and first days in NYC: [06:09–07:33]
• Starting photography in NYC/Central Park Conservancy: [08:08–09:23]
• Building a brand and business, adapting to technology: [10:17–13:43]
• Lessons on passion, focus, and resilience: [12:57–15:07]
• Advice for major life and career transitions: [16:07–17:22]
• Community and the importance of connection: [17:46–18:25]
• Adapting to smartphone photography & AI: [18:25–21:44]
• Final advice and what he’d tell his younger self: [28:51–29:56]

Rapid Fire & Personal Favorites

• Karaoke/walk-on song: “Living on a Prayer” — Bon Jovi [27:33]
• Potluck food: Banana pudding from Magnolia Bakery [27:58]
• Alternative career: Newscaster, radio host like Casey Kasem [28:08]
• Current binge: The Gilded Age (“I’m addicted to that show...learning about New York City.”) [28:22]
• Surprise fact: Identical twin [28:45]

Actionable Takeaways

• Follow your passion: Whatever makes your heart sing, pursue it relentlessly.
• Stay consistent: Show up every day, even when it feels hard.
• Be open to change: Embrace new tools and let go of old ways when the world changes.
• Community matters: Seek out and cultivate supportive circles.
• It gets better: Even when at your lowest, remind yourself, “You’ll be okay.” [29:19]

Closing Thought

Kelly’s story is a striking reminder that life’s messiest chapters can be the catalyst for our most meaningful reinventions. No matter your age or starting point, embracing change, pursuing joy, and staying laser-focused on what you love can lead to unexpected and fulfilling new chapters.

“Do whatever makes your heart sing. Do that. That’s the bottom line.” — Kelly (A) [28:51]