What is the MDBA?
Master Dog Breeders & Associates (MDBA) is a respected Australian organization dedicated to the registration of purebred dogs and the provision of certified pedigrees for members around the world.
They champion responsible breeding, animal welfare, and education through memberships, breeder programs, and courses. Membership requires adherence to MDBA’s strict Code of Ethics, Rules and Policies.
Before: Outdated Tech, Limited Functionality
MDBA’s original website was built on an old version of Joomla.
It had become:
- Outdated and insecure
- Difficult to maintain
- Unable to support modern membership functionality
Even basic processes—like registering new members and tracking approvals—were slow, manual, and prone to human error.
The MDBA needed a modern, secure, and automated membership system that would streamline registrations, improve user experience, reduce staff time and increase system usability.
Objective: Migrate, Modernize, and Automate
When the MDBA engaged MemberFix, the initial goal sounded simple:
Migrate everything from Joomla to WordPress, install MemberPress, and create an automated membership system.
But as we dug deeper, it became clear MDBA needed much more than a basic migration.
Their membership approval flow required:
- Multiple approval stages
- Conditional logic and clarifications
- Identity verification
- Role-based email notifications
- A CRM-style dashboard for managing members
In short, MDBA needed a custom-built membership workflow—not just a plugin install.
After: A Fully Automated, Secure, and Scalable Membership Platform
We rebuilt MDBA’s entire registration and management system on WordPress, centered around Gravity Forms, GravityFlow, and MemberPress.
Key Upgrades & Results:
✅ Streamlined Registration Workflow
We developed a custom Gravity Flow process that automatically:
- Handles application and verification steps
- Triggers conditional emails
- Creates MemberPress transactions
- Activates users only when all steps are successfully completed
Result: Registration time reduced from days of manual back-and-forth to a seamless, guided process.
✅ Custom Manager Dashboard
Instead of relying on unstable third-party automations (like FunnelKit Automations, which failed to sync data reliably), we built a custom front-end Contact Dashboard using WP Frontend Admin and custom roles.
Managers can now:
- View and search members by metadata (like member number or expiration date)
- See membership types and renewal status at a glance
- Manage approvals and resignations—all from a single front-end dashboard
Result: Zero need for backend access, fewer sync errors, and a clean “source of truth” for all member data.
✅ Improved Data Reliability
Our approach eliminated data drift between tools and databases. All user and membership data now lives in WordPress, ensuring 100% consistency and no more lost or out-of-sync records.
✅ Security and Access Control
Only developers and certain admins access the WordPress backend. Managers handle everything via front-end dashboards—keeping sensitive data secure while improving usability.
Result: Stronger security posture, improved user experience and no risk of accidental backend changes.
✅ Ongoing Enhancements
After launch, MDBA continued expanding their system with:
- A searchable public directory
- New registration forms for single dogs and litters
- Migration to our optimized hosting platform MemberHost.io, improving site performance and uptime
Result: A faster, more scalable foundation ready for future growth.
Key Takeaways
- What starts as a “simple migration” often reveals deeper operational needs.
- Off-the-shelf tools provide the foundation—but custom workflows deliver real transformation.
- A single source of truth for user data eliminates sync issues, simplifies management and increases confidence in the data.
- Front-end dashboards empower staff without compromising security.
- Flexibility in choosing and adapting tools ensures long-term scalability and reliability.
One Sentence Summary
MDBA went from an outdated, fragile Joomla site to a modern, automated, and secure membership platform that saves time, reduces errors, and enhances both staff efficiency and member experience.
If you'd like to work with MemberFix so we can drive similar results for you, please get in touch!
