Humboldt Builders Exchange

We began by auditing the existing site, legacy workflows, and internal documents — including spreadsheets, PDFs, and manual processes that were being used to manage memberships, categories, and advertising placements.

Early homepage concepts leaned more promotional and sales-forward, which is often the default for membership organizations. After talking with Jason (VP of the board), it became clear that this wasn’t quite right. HUMBX isn’t trying to sell builders to builders — it’s facilitating connection, trust, education, and visibility within the local construction ecosystem.

So we pivoted.

Click to view full mock-ups

Homepage Direction Shift

After those conversations, we revised the homepage to:

• Be less “salesy” and more community-driven

• Highlight everything the Exchange does — not just membership

• Emphasize value through clarity, not hype

The result is a homepage that feels grounded, credible, and genuinely useful — reflecting how HUMBX actually shows up for its members.

Click to view full mock-up

This project went far beyond a traditional website build. We designed and developed a custom membership platform that supports HUMBX’s real-world operations.

Member Portal

• Members can log in securely

• Pay dues and fees online

• Manage billing and renewals

• Update company profiles, logos, photos, and contact info

• Select and manage business categories

• Purchase advertising placements directly through the site

Referral Guide (Public-Facing)

• Fully searchable online directory

• Category-based browsing

• Automatically updated based on member profiles

• Moderation and approval workflow to maintain quality and consistency

Events & News

• Integrated events calendar

• Ability to mark events as public or members-only

• News system designed to support long-term archives (not just announcements)

Advertising System

• Tiered ad placements with clear pricing

• Rotation logic where applicable

• Clear communication around launch timing and legacy placements

• Admin-controlled visibility and approvals

Admin & Board Tools

• Centralized membership management

• Status controls (active, inactive, grace periods)

• Category validation and billing logic

• Reduced reliance on spreadsheets, emails, and manual follow-ups

What makes this project special isn’t just how it looks — it’s how much friction it removes.

Streamlined Operations: Manual processes that once lived across PDFs, spreadsheets, emails, and institutional memory are now handled directly in the platform.

Self-Service for Members: Members no longer need to email staff to make basic updates or payments. They’re empowered to manage their own presence, which saves time on both sides.

Scalable for the Future: The system is built to grow with HUMBX: new membership years, new advertising offerings, evolving content, and future integrations.

Purpose-Built, Not Overbuilt: Every feature exists because HUMBX actually needs it, not because it looked cool in a demo or because it was part of a WP plugin. That focus keeps the system usable for real people, not just power users.

A Website That Reflects the Organization: The final site feels professional, trustworthy, and grounded, mirroring the Exchange’s role in the local building community rather than trying to “sell” it.

HUMBX is a great example of when a business (or organization) outgrows off-the-shelf tools.

If you need:

• Membership management that matches how you actually operate

• Custom workflows instead of duct-taped plugins

• A website that does real work for your organization

…this is where custom design and development really shines.

And this project is proof of what’s possible when strategy, design, and engineering are treated as one system — not three separate things.