EP #76 - Remodeling with Heart: When Two Friends Transform Houses and Lives

Ben O'Sullivan Pierce, co-owner of Fresh Start Contracting Corporation, has spent nearly two decades reshaping what homeowners expect from the renovation experience. Alongside his business partner, Nick Stamos, Ben has helped grow Fresh Start from a modest operation into one of Massachusetts’ premier custom building firms. In an industry often clouded by stereotypes of unreliability and poor communication, Ben offers a refreshing, client-first approach rooted in professionalism, transparency, and trust. He shares practical advice for navigating renovations—like understanding the value behind pricing, doing thorough research, and choosing contractors who communicate clearly—making the process smoother and even enjoyable.

Fresh Start’s journey hasn’t been without its setbacks, from stolen tools to unpaid invoices, but Ben’s focus has always remained steady: “We never focused on the problems. We focused on what was going well.” That optimism, grounded in his strong commitment to family and faith, continues to shape a company culture where every project—whether a luxury city remodel or a modest home update—is treated with care and respect. For anyone considering a renovation or curious about how great businesses are built, the story of Fresh Start—driven by the partnership between Ben and Nick—offers equal parts inspiration and insight. Visit freshstartcontracting.com or follow @FreshStartCorp on Instagram to see their work in action.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, YvonneGodfrey.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Today we have the distinctpleasure of introducing to our
listeners Ben O'Sullivan Pierce.
He is the owner and founder ofFresh Start.
So welcome to the Good Neighborpodcast.
Today we have the distinctpleasure of introducing to our
listeners Ben O'Sullivan Pierce.

(00:33):
He is the owner and founder ofFresh Start Contracting
Corporation.
Ben, how are you today?

Speaker 3 (00:40):
Hey, I'm doing good.
Thank you for having me.

Speaker 2 (00:43):
Oh, it's wonderful to have you here.
So, ben, can you please tellour listeners about your company
?

Speaker 3 (00:51):
Yeah, sure.
So simply put, we're a generalcontractor and we're a custom
builder, so we focus onresidential projects.
So picture you and your familywant to remodel your home.
That's what we do.
Picture you just bought a homeand it needs a full overhaul, a
full gut renovation.
That is what we do too.
So we have a team of about 40people in-house, various

(01:14):
projects going on all overMassachusetts and it's to just
customize the home for theclient and do it just to their
liking Beautiful.

Speaker 2 (01:24):
I follow all of that.
So, ben, what is the backstory?
How did you get started in thisbusiness and how long have you
been in this business?

Speaker 3 (01:33):
Yeah, so I'm actually the co-owner and so my partner
and I were friends growing up.
We met when we were playingLittle League in Cambridge
Massachusetts, so we've beenbuddies a long time.
So then my partner, nick, and Istarted this business when we
were actually in college.
He worked for his dad, who wasa contractor, and I worked for

(01:54):
my uncle, who was a contractor,and we always had sort of a
shared love for that, forbuilding for business and put
our heads together and startedFresh Start, and that's about 19
years ago.
So I like to say we never had areal job.
We just, you know, oncegraduating college I got right,

(02:17):
you know, went to a job site thenext day and just have been
working ever since.
But what we've been able to doover time is scale our business
from just the two of us since.
But what we've been able to doover time is scale our business
from just the two of us two guysin a truck to you know,
different levels of managers andcarpenters and laborers and
people in the office and moretrucks and being able to do a
better job and bigger projects.
And that's what we do today.

Speaker 2 (02:40):
Beautiful, beautiful.
So, with that, what are somemyths or misconceptions that
you've discovered in thisindustry?

Speaker 3 (03:05):
around the edges.
They weren't reallyapproachable.
It wasn't, you know,professional business.
They may or may not show up and, you know, doing your home
remodel could be the worstexperience that you've ever had.
Now, in some ways, it can be avery difficult experience for
people, but the myth is is thatall contractors are that way and

(03:26):
there's really a level of avery high level of you know
general contractor out therewhich we like to think we fit
into, that, where, you know,customer service is extremely
important to us.
We're not flipping the housenext door, we're building your
house and so getting thingsright, customizing, you know,

(03:48):
rooms and colors and exteriorsto our clients needs and to the
architect's plans, that's likeexactly what we execute on.
And so the myth is that youknow, oh, it's going to be a
real hassle and I'm going tohave to, you know, go through
this horrible process.
But really, if you do yourhomework and you find the right

(04:09):
companies and you understand whythey charge what they charge or
for the amount of work thatgoes into a real project, and
they're realistic about it toyou up front and you are a
discerning consumer, you canhave a great construction
experience if you're with theright team.

Speaker 2 (04:29):
Perfect, perfect.
So outside of work, what do youdo for fun?

Speaker 3 (04:36):
Yeah, well, I mean outside of work.
You know this is what I do forwork.
My real life is I have threekids.
I have a beautiful wife.
We're, you know, we're alwaysbusy.
I have a young family.
I, you know, I love to getoutdoors and I love sports and I
love to play golf, but we'realso big into our church.

(04:58):
Faith is just a major part ofour life.
We're there all over theweekend.
You know.
We trust that there's a biggerand a higher plan for our life
and that is what gets us through, you know, the week and the
tough times and helps uscelebrate the good times as well
.

Speaker 2 (05:17):
So beautiful, beautiful.
Give an honor to where honor isdue.
Love it, yeah, absolutely so.
Changing gears, ben, can youdescribe one hardship or one of
life's challenge that you roseabove and can now say that
because of it you're stronger,you're better?

(05:40):
What comes to your mind?
Well, like business or personal, whichever one that you're
comfortable sharing.

Speaker 3 (05:50):
Yeah, I mean starting a business when I'm 20 years
old, you're going to go throughso many you know growing pains
and challenges and things andthings of that nature.
I think the good thing I was, Iwas in a partnership which is
kind of like any goodrelationship, where we would
like lift each other out of theseemingly never ending problems

(06:15):
that we would constantly face,from employees quitting on you
and leaving you high and dry, toclients not paying you what you
fairly worked for, to waking upone day and having all my tools
stolen out of my truck.
My partner and I to some creditof ours, I guess we just never

(06:39):
focused on the problems.
We focused on what was goingwell and we always thought,
whether we were doing this muchbusiness or doing this much
business, we were excited by it.
And so we always, you know, wenever take work for granted.
So whether we're doing a bigfancy project on Beacon Hill or
in the North Shore or we'redoing sort of you know, a fix it

(07:00):
up for for an older couple, welook at all the businesses
valuable and we look at peopleas valuable because they're who
drive our business.
So, you know, no shortage oftrouble running a business,
especially a constructionbusiness.
It's, you know it's tough, butit's extremely rewarding.

Speaker 2 (07:21):
Absolutely, absolutely.
I agree with that, and that'sthe case for any business.
It's rewarded, yeah.
So, ben, can you please tellour listeners one thing they
should remember about FreshStart Contract Incorporation you

(07:50):
know.

Speaker 3 (07:50):
So we're a company.
We've been around the block, um, but we're, you know we're.
We're open to talking to peopleabout what their construction
needs might be.
They maybe have an idea for ahome they're going to buy or
have bought or have a grownfamily, and we'd love to just
kind of get in the conversationwith them.
We're, um, we're easy to get intouch with.
You can go right onto ourwebsite and contact us.
You'll have myself or somebodyelse come out to the house.

(08:12):
Um, I think you knowunderstanding we're approachable
is is why people you know comeback or have a good, have an
easy time talking to us.
Um, I'll tell you if aproject's unrealistic, I'll
shoot you straight.
I'm not in it to wasteanybody's time or to leave them.
You know, because, because thisis a long, we're looking for

(08:35):
long-term relationships withpeople.
So, you know, it's it's justkey that we give good advice
right up front, and that's whatwe try to do.

Speaker 2 (08:45):
With honesty and integrity.

Speaker 3 (08:47):
Absolutely.

Speaker 2 (08:48):
Yeah, so you started but you didn't finish.
So how can our listeners learnmore about your business?
Do you have a website?

Speaker 3 (08:56):
Yeah, so I.
We do have a website, so it'sfreshstartcontractingcom.
Nice and simple.
You can go right on there andfind us.
You can Google Fresh StartContracting.
Our office is located inBurlington, massachusetts.
You can come on by the officeif you want.
We're really active on social.

(09:17):
So on Instagram it's FreshStart Corp and on that we have a
ton of followers.
There's a lot of interestingstuff going on.
It's like, you know, hgtv, butit's real and it's the projects
we're doing every single day.
And we're, you know, reallyjust giving you some behind the
scenes of like, hey, this iswhat it takes to actually build

(09:40):
a house, remodel a house.
Work in Boston, work in thesuburbs, work in the North Shore
you know different kinds ofthings shows you a little bit
about the business.
So we like to think we're easyto get in touch with.
Call, email, you know, goonline, just fill out a form and
we'll set up an estimate,whatever works.

(10:02):
Or drop us a DM on social andwe'll get right back to you.

Speaker 2 (10:06):
Sounds like you're easy to work with as well, so we
try to.
You Sounds like you're easy towork with as well, so we try to
be.
So, ben, we really appreciateyou being on the show with us
today, and we wish you and Nickall the very best moving forward
.
Thank you.

Speaker 3 (10:21):
Appreciate that.

Speaker 1 (10:23):
Thank you for listening to the good neighbor
podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go to gnpnorthshorecom.
That's gnpnorthshorecom, orcall 857-703-9406.