Board / Generation / Stair-Step Plan
Board cycles, stair-step breakaway and generation bonuses — flexible models for mature MLM businesses with leadership tiers.
Board plan in three steps
Step 1
A board plan organizes members into small groups (boards) of 9 or 15 positions. When a board fills, the top position graduates with a cycle bonus and the board splits in two — promoting members upward.
Step 2
Stair-step breakaway pays escalating percentages as members hit volume tiers. When a downline qualifies for the same level as their sponsor, they "break away" and become an independent leg with override bonuses.
Step 3
Generation bonuses pay an upline a percentage of all downstream volume in a "generation" — typically from one qualified leader to the next qualified leader below them.
Bonuses included in this plan
Board cycle bonus
When a board completes, the top earns a cycle bonus and is promoted to a new, higher-value board.
Stair-step promotion
Climb tiered ranks (e.g. Bronze → Silver → Gold) to unlock higher commission percentages.
Breakaway override
Earn a long-term percentage on every leg that breaks away from your team.
Generation bonus
Earn from each generation downstream — between qualified leadership ranks.
Promotion incentive
One-time bonus paid when a downline graduates to a higher board or rank.
Top-rank pool
Highest ranks share a global pool of company-wide volume.
Example payout — Board cycle (3×3 board)
- Board entry fee $100
- Members per board 13 (1+3+9)
- Total board volume $1,300
- Cycle bonus to top $600
- Promotion to next board ✓
- Cycle bonus + promotion $600 + uplift
Each promotion unlocks a higher-value board with larger entry and cycle bonuses.
Strengths
- Excellent for mature companies with leadership tiers
- Cycle bonuses create excitement and momentum
- Breakaway rewards strong recruiters long-term
- Hybrid combinations are easy to configure
Watch out for
- More complex to explain to new members
- Requires clear rank qualification rules
- Cycle pacing must be tuned for plan health
Best for
Established MLM companies with multiple product lines, large field organizations and well-defined leadership ranks.
Other compensation plans
Binary MLM Plan
Two-leg downline structure with pair-matching commissions, spillover and weak-leg bonus — the most popular MLM plan worldwide.
Matrix MLM Plan
Fixed-width × depth structure (3×7, 5×5, custom). Forced matrix with auto-fill from upline ensures fair distribution and predictable payouts.
Unilevel MLM Plan
Unlimited frontline width with configurable depth. Reward your direct sales force plus generations of downline activity.
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