Bri Makaric earned her Bachelor of Science in Advertising Management from the College of Communication Arts & Sciences at Michigan State University in 2020. Today, Makaric is a key player in the non-alcoholic beverage industry, serving as a leader at Ritual Zero Proof, where she has helped drive the company’s exponential growth. Joining the team as one of the first fifteen employees, she played a role in establishing Ritual’s footprint in new markets, developing distribution channels, and shaping the brand’s shopper strategy. Under her leadership, Ritual achieved a major milestone with its acquisition by Diageo. Makaric’s background in entrepreneurship, cultivated through her experiences at the Burgess Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation, has been instrumental in her success at Ritual, where her resilience continues to make a lasting impact in the fast-paced consumer goods sector.
When I started my sophomore year, I never imagined the direction my life would take. I did not see myself as an entrepreneur at the time, and yet, there I was, navigating the highs and lows of starting a business. The journey I embarked on was challenging and exhilarating, yet fueled my experiences at the Burgess Institute. In retrospect, the foundation that Burgess helped me build would not only launch my business but would also set the stage for the rest of my career.
One of the most striking lessons I learned at Burgess was the importance of resilience. It is easy to get swept away by the glamor of entrepreneurship—the excitement of a new idea, the rush of a successful pitch, the dream of turning an idea into something real. But the Burgess Institute, with its hands-on approach and community of like-minded individuals, made it clear that entrepreneurship is anything but glamorous. There are late nights, failed projects, and moments of self-doubt. However, it’s how you handle those obstacles that determine whether you sink or swim. The support I received from mentors and fellow students taught me to embrace those challenges as learning opportunities, and that mindset became the backbone of my career.
One of those opportunities came when I joined the team at Ritual Zero Proof, a non-alcoholic spirits brand. Becoming an entrepreneur helped me land the role, and I was employee number fifteen when I started. The small, close-knit environment at Ritual reminded me of the community I found at Burgess. Much like the early days of BRITE bites, working at Ritual required creativity, tenacity, and a willingness to jump into roles beyond my job description.
Over the last 2.5 years at Ritual, I have been helping lead our exponential growth. The lessons I learned in resilience and adaptability at Burgess served me well as I navigated the fast-paced world of consumer goods. Every day brought new challenges, whether it was building distribution channels, developing a shopper strategy, or establishing Ritual’s footprint in new markets. As Ritual expanded, so did my role within the company. I grew alongside the brand, learning from my colleagues, and playing a part in our shared success. Just last month, Ritual sold to Diageo, a monumental moment for the company and the goal I had been working towards since I joined. It was a bittersweet event, marking the end of one chapter but opening the door to even bigger possibilities.
Looking back, my journey wouldn’t have been possible without the Burgess Institute. The entrepreneurial spirit they helped me foster has been the common thread throughout my career. Whether it was the initial spark to start my business or the grit needed to push through the hard days at Ritual, Burgess taught me that entrepreneurship is about more than just starting a business—it is a way of thinking, a willingness to embrace risk, and the ability to turn challenges into opportunities.