The Makers Hub
The Makers Hub
January 2023 – June 2025
The Client
The Makers Hub is a Compton-based nonprofit operating the Compton Tool Library — a community resource center giving residents access to tools, workshops, and hands-on skills training. The organization serves as both a practical resource hub and a community anchor for the Compton area.
Please note: This case study reflects work completed during the period of active collaboration. Laura and Vie's Legacy, LLC no longer manages or maintains this client's marketing, communications, website, or digital presence, and current materials may differ from the original scope of work.
The Challenge
When I joined The Makers Hub in January 2023, there was no marketing department, no brand voice, no email program, and no LinkedIn presence. Posting on Instagram and Facebook was sporadic and not brand-specific. The organization had a powerful mission but no consistent way to communicate it — to the community, to press, or to potential donors and partners.
The goal was to build everything from the ground up: establish the channels, define the voice, grow the audiences, and make social media a measurable driver of real organizational outcomes.
My Role
I was brought on as Marketing & Communications Associate — the department's first hire — and promoted to Marketing & Communications Manager by 2024. I was solely responsible for social media strategy and execution across Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, email marketing, paid advertising, press outreach, and all campaign reporting.
The Approach
Building the Foundation (2023)
The first priority was establishing a consistent, brand-specific presence across all channels. On Instagram and Facebook, posting went from sporadic to a minimum of 3x per week, with daily stories when resources allowed. Profiles were fully optimized — bios updated, following lists cleaned up, highlights created, pinned posts established.
LinkedIn was launched with a deliberate “Founder First” strategy: building the Executive Director Adrianne Ferree's personal profile first to develop a following, then funneling those connections toward the organization page. This approach generated above-average engagement rates from the start despite the accounts being brand new.
On Facebook, leveraging local Compton community groups proved to be a standout tactic — driving event registrations and donations at zero cost.
Scaling What Worked (2024)
With the foundation established, 2024 focused on refinement and growth. Email volume more than doubled — from 9 emails in 2023 to 23 in 2024. Social content was optimized with a stronger focus on video content, which consistently outperformed static posts.
LinkedIn strategy shifted to amplification — major announcements from the org account, strategically amplified by the founder's page. Content promoting unique programming like Repair Clinics and the Sharing Wall drove the highest engagement of the year.
Press relationships built in 2023 paid off significantly in 2024, resulting in features in the LA Times, ABC7, KCAL, ShoutoutLA, and Bold Journey Magazine.
Home Systems 101 Workshop (CDBG Grant)
The Makers Hub received a $25,000 Community Development Block Grant from the Compton City Council to host their first Home Systems 101 Workshop. I built and executed the full multi-channel campaign to drive registrations.
The paid social strategy ran 4 Meta ads across Facebook, Instagram, and Messenger — two carousels and two memes — each with a maximum budget of $100. Memes significantly outperformed carousels. Organic content ran daily in stories with direct registration links, multiple times per week in-feed, and weekly in Compton Facebook groups. A 3-email sequence supported the full campaign.
Social Media Content
Click any image to view the full post with caption
CDBG Grant Announcement
Community Solidarity
Community Meme
CRAFTSMAN Donation
Carousel announcements and community-native memes that resonated with the Compton audience
LinkedIn Strategy: Founder First
Founder POV
Organization POV
Building the Executive Director's personal brand first
Transferring equity to the organization account
Email Marketing
Click to view the full newsletter content
July 2023 Newsletter
Email program built from zero — 56% average open rate in 2024 (industry avg: ~25%)
CDBG Campaign: Paid Ads
Meme Ad
Carousel Ad
Meme format — significantly outperformed carousels
Designed carousel format
4 ads total with $100 max budget each — 896 clicks, $0.45 avg CPC
By the Numbers
Across the Full Engagement (2023–2024)
4,200
Instagram Followers
Up from 1,224 at end of 2023
833
LinkedIn Followers
Grown from zero
62%
Event Registrants from Social
52%+
Avg Email Open Rate
Industry avg: ~25%
38.5%
First Newsletter Open Rate
56%
2024 Email Open Rate
9 → 23
Emails Sent (YoY)
More than doubled
8+
Press Features
KCAL, CBS, ABC, ABC7, LA Times, ShoutoutLA, Hub City Reporter, Bold Journey
CDBG Campaign Results
62%
Registrants from Social
44K
Paid Ad Reach
People reached
896
Total Ad Clicks
From 4 ads
224
Avg Clicks Per Ad
$0.45
Avg Cost Per Click
52%
Email Open Rate
3-email sequence
What Performed Best
Memes and content that didn't look like ads consistently outperformed polished carousel formats in both reach and clicks.
On Facebook, local community groups drove registrations at zero cost — outperforming some paid placements.
On LinkedIn, the Founder-first approach generated engagement rates above average for a new organization from day one.
Facebook organic content drove direct donations with no paid spend.
What We Learned
- Authentic, community-native content outperforms polished ads in neighborhood-focused campaigns — memes built for Compton resonated more than designed carousels
- Local Facebook groups are an underutilized distribution channel for hyperlocal organizations
- The Founder-first LinkedIn strategy is replicable: building personal brand first, then transferring equity to the org account, accelerates early growth
- Tracking which specific social channel drove a registration (not just "social media") would enable even sharper optimization in future campaigns