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Prasad Reddy’s willingness to challenge convention has been at the heart of Twisted X Brands’ rocket-like ascent since he bought it out of bankruptcy 17 years ago in the midst of an economic meltdown.
It’s part of his DNA. And now part of the company culture.
“Right from the beginning with Twisted X, we weren’t afraid to be contrarians or take chances as long as we felt like we were doing what’s right for our customers, the planet, and our employees,” he said. “So, if that means we need to go against the grain or what might be viewed as more traditional, we do.”
He also believes that mentality held sway with judges who deemed his work as an entrepreneur merited high honor.
Last month, Reddy, CEO of Twisted X, was named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 Southwest Award winner in transforming and willing Twisted X into a brand leader in the Western market.
Reddy was chosen by an independent panel of past winners, top CEOs and business leaders. Judges assessed candidates on long-term value creation, entrepreneurial spirit, purpose-driven commitment, and significant growth and impact.
Twisted X, based in Decatur, has landed on a number of “Fastest Growing Companies” leaderboards over the years, including Fort Worth Inc. in 2020 and 2021. Reddy is also a former Fort Worth Inc. Entrepreneur of Excellence winner.
As a Southwest award winner, Reddy is now eligible for consideration for the Entrepreneur Of The Year 2025 National Awards. The National Award winners, including the Entrepreneur Of The Year National Overall Award winner, will be announced in November at the Strategic Growth Forum®, one of the nation’s most prestigious gatherings of high-growth, market-leading companies.
Fort Worth-based Standard Meat Company executives Ben Rosenthal and Ashli Rosenthal Blumenfeld were among a select group of entrepreneurs recognized as National Award winners in November.
The siblings and leaders of Fort Worth-based, family-run Standard Meat Company were honored among nine other finalists from around the nation for their “dedication to investing in new ideas and creating tremendous growth through innovation-driven developments.”
Ernst & Young has conducted the program since 1986. The program recognizes original founders who bootstrapped their business from inception or who raised outside capital to grow their company; transformational CEOs who infused innovation into an existing organization to catapult its trajectory; and multigenerational family business leaders who reimagined a legacy business model to strengthen it for the future.
Reddy said he was “immensely grateful” to be a recipient this year, while acknowledging the dedication of the entire team at the company.
“We've always believed in doing things differently,” he said.
Reddy’s first order of doing business differently after acquiring the company in 2008 out of bankruptcy was introducing variety in the Western brand to appeal to a wider demographic. To cater to a younger audience, the company partnered with Hooey and also acquired Black Star Boots, a high fashion women’s Western wear.
“Increasing the number of brands we carry helps us meet the many needs and niches of the industry,” Reddy said.
Other factors that set Twisted X apart, Reddy said, are a commitment to sustainability and philanthropy. Twisted X is a “no single-use plastics” company — that is, committed to eliminating disposable plastic products designed to be used once and discarded.
The company achieved carbon neutrality in 2020 and has since prioritized sustainability across its product line. Every active footwear style incorporates at least one eco-friendly feature — ranging from recycled plastics and repurposed leather scraps turned into fabric, to upcycled foam waste and ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) used in footbeds, midsoles, and other essential components.
“Sustainability truly factors into everything we do and every decision we make,” Reddy said, adding that “we’ve found that our eco-friendly materials actually make for better, more durable footwear, so it’s a win-win.”