Timothy Reazor

CEO and Co-founder, Fifth & Cherry

MBA’18 & MS’19 Innovation & Entrepreneurship

  • CEO and co-founder of Fifth & Cherry – handcrafted, end-grain cherry cutting boards from responsibly-sourced wood that come with a lifetime warranty.
  • Featured in 20+ publications including Food Network Magazine, Brides, Forbes, All Outdoor, Scottsdale City Lifestyle, Military.com, and Insider.
  • Partnerships with Big Green Egg, Central Market, and Beefer.

What problem(s) did you set out trying to solve?

With our cutting boards and now cabinetry, we wanted to take a very fragmented and opaque industry and unite consumers nationwide behind our brand, Fifth & Cherry. We do this by building something that is un-commoditized and very scaleable. Executing our vision means we’ll have taken our niche, created a movement, and made our vision of quality and service (free forever) mainstream. 

When did you realize you were working on something with business potential? In other words, at what point did you know this was something you wanted to focus a lot of your time and energy on?

It’s cliche to say I always knew. I didn’t. The passion was in my heart, but I was scared that no one would see my vision of what quality and service should be in our space. So, in my first entrepreneurial class at UTD, I was asked to test my hypothesis. So my wife and I created a simple 10-question survey and a 30-second video explaining our concept. We sent the survey to a Facebook group for our city. We don’t know anyone in the group, and often the members are brutally honest with each other. We figured we’d know the truth if they filled out the survey. We didn’t try and sell anyone we simply asked them to fill out a short survey about a cutting board. I was so scared of any negative responses that I failed to send the survey for about a week. Up against the class deadline, I had to call my wife and co-founder Tanya to post the survey when I was about to climb onto a plane for a 10-hour flight. That’s some deep-rooted fear of rejection. When I landed in Austria and turned on my phone, there must have been 100 messages from the survey and a handful from Tanya. All of them were positive. I got a bit misty-eyed. The survey results showed that people cared about what we were building, which gave us the confidence to move forward and build the best business we could. 

Describe your startup experience in three words.

Exciting, Humbling, Learning 

What resources at the university did you take advantage of and how did they help you on your entrepreneurial journey?

I’ve already discussed many of the resources I used and continue to use. One of the biggest benefits of being a UTD entrepreneur is the UTD Seed Fund. UTD invests time, money, and continuing education to give their startups every opportunity to succeed. We earned an initial investment from the Fund, and I’m forever grateful. 

What insight would you give to a student trying to launch a startup while in college?

Many of my classmates never took their businesses from ideation to launch because of age, effort, and perceived lack of support. There are many reasons why someone can’t or won’t try to launch a business, and many of those reasons are 100% valid. But I learned and realized so much during my experience at UTD and the Blackstone LaunchPad, which gave me the confidence to try. As an expert on the non-traditional way to become an entrepreneur, always remember this: There is not one “right” way to become an entrepreneur! 

What advice do you have for students about using their time, relationships, and opportunities at UTD to prepare for this kind of journey?

Build a community around what you’re building. Everyone at UTD, from the President of the University to your professors and your friends, wants you to succeed. If you include them in the journey, you give them a path to support you. To accomplish this, you could document the process of starting up. You’ll see examples of this on both my Twitter profile @TJReazor and LinkedIn profile; search for Timothy Reazor to find me. Writing and journaling in the method I describe below will do several positive things for you, including building a base of supporters. At first, you’ll think that no one cares about what you’re writing, which may be true. But, if you write earnestly and honestly, someone in your network will find value in your work. (BTW, grow your network with everyone you meet at UTD, including the President of the University.) Someone is going through exactly what you’re going through, and they’ll need the lessons you’ve learned and the ideas you are sharing. Then the network effect takes hold, and more people will find your work. Before you know it, you’ll have built a community of supporters that are always there for you, ready and willing to help. 

Has anyone in the UTD network been important to your journey? Why?

Without a doubt, Pamela Foster Brady. Her love and honesty are why I’m here, able to grow Fifth & Cherry. She leads the Executive MBA program on campus, and in my opinion, her program is the best way for anyone to get an MBA. Her program is exceptional, focused, and life-changing. Professor Jackie Kimzey showed me how to think beyond my initial vision and designs. His input, guidance, and support have been invaluable to me. 
 
Dresden Goldberg, Sarah Crowe, Steve G (as he’s known), Bryan Chambers, and Sarah Jane Murdock. You’ll find them at the Blackstone LaunchPad. They are the best friends an entrepreneur can ever hope to have. Their help, their love; they are always thinking of ways to support my dream and help me reach my goals… simply their efforts are foundational in our success, and they are forever rooted in the fabric of Fifth & Cherry. Thank you isn’t enough. I’m forever grateful for them. And I’ll do anything for them. 

What advice do you have for students who want to pursue a venture in your industry?

My world improved exponentially when I met Dresden, Sarah, Steve G, Bryan, and Sarah Jane; they lead The University of Texas at Dallas’ Blackstone LaunchPad network. They’re all mentors to me. When I first stepped on campus, I didn’t know how to articulate my business idea or the steps to take to make it a reality. It can be scary to allow yourself to be vulnerable and share your dreams. But these five people welcomed me into their world with open arms and have brought me opportunities I would never have had without them.

Specifically, Bryan’s Startup Launch class was what got Fifth & Cherry off the ground. Every week in his class, I got to sit with other entrepreneurs and discuss our steps to bring our business dreams to reality. These classes were the highlight of my week and provided the creative release I yearned for. Being around other dreamers and doers is powerful. 

What’s one thing you know now (regarding entrepreneurship) that you wish you knew in college?

The true time and effort it takes to launch one product successfully. 

What’s next for you/your company?

Creating the most desired custom kitchens in the world via Fifth & Cherry Designs — fifthandcherrydesigns.com