The Truth About Uplines and Downlines They Don't Tell You

Let's be real for a second. When you hear the words "upline" and "downline," what comes to mind? For a lot of people, it's those sketchy pyramid scheme vibes. I get it. I've been there. My name is Brian Ouma, I'm 20 years old, and in the one year I've been an entrepreneur, I've seen both sides of this coin. I've worked with legit companies and I've worked with total scams. And let me tell you, the difference always, always comes down to the people.

See, I think we get the whole idea wrong. We picture a chain, with some big boss at the top shaking it and everyone at the bottom just getting dizzy. That's a terrible way to live, and honestly, a terrible way to do business. What I've learned—the hard way—is that it's not a chain. It's a bridge. And I'm going to tell you exactly how to tell if you're building a bridge or just being used as a link in a chain.

So, What Am I Even Talking About?

Okay, let's break it down super simple, the way I wish someone had for me when I was in Form 4 just starting out.

  Your Upline: This is supposed to be your mentor. Think of them like your coach in a football team. A good coach doesn't just win games; they make you a better player. They've run the field before, they know where the slippery spots are, and they should be there to shout a warning when you're about to step in one. Their success should be tied to you getting better, not just you signing up.

  Your Downline: This is your team. These are the people you bring on board. If you see them as just numbers on a spreadsheet that get you a bigger commission, you've already lost the plot. Your job is to lift them up. If they succeed, you succeed. It's that simple.

The whole thing is supposed to be about a flow of knowledge. It's a two-way street where support and motivation go up and down. But man, it doesn't always work like that.

My "Aha" Moment with a Upline Who Got It Wrong

I remember this one company I worked with. I was super green, full of passion, ready to change the world. They gave me this packet. It was my "script." It had templates for everything—how to greet a potential downline, how to answer objections, even how to close.

I tried to use it. I really did. But the words felt fake. They were so formal and... I don't know, just not Kenyan. They didn't sound like me, Brian from Kenya, talking to another young hustler in Nairobi. The conversations were falling flat. I couldn't connect because I was using words that weren't mine.

So, I did something risky. I threw the script away.

I thought, "If I'm going to lead, I need to be able to talk like a real person." I went on YouTube. I spent nights watching videos from these Indian entrepreneurship gurus, learning how to communicate better. It's funny, a Kenyan guy learning from Indians to talk to Kenyans! But it worked. I learned about listening, about empathy, about finding what people really need. My downline started responding because they could tell I was being genuine. I was starting to build my own bridge.

But here's the kicker, and the lesson I really want you to take away: While my gut was right, my method was a bit reckless. For a bigger move, you should always learn and consult your upline before doing anything new. A good upline, a real mentor, wouldn't have given me a stupid script in the first place. They would have trained me how to think, not what to say. If I had a good one, I could have gone to them and said, "Hey, this isn't working for me, help me find a better way." And they would have.

That experience taught me how to spot a fake upline from a mile away.

How to Spot a Fake Upline a Mile Away (My Red Flags)

After that mess and a couple others, I can now easily distinct a real company and a fake one. Here's what I look for:

1. They Ghost You After You Sign Up. Before you join, they're your best friend. Calls, messages, all that. The second you're in? Poof. Gone. You were a commission check, not a person.

2. The Focus is ONLY on Recruiting. If all they talk about is bringing in more people and barely talk about the actual product or service, that's a massive red flag. The product should be the hero.

3. They Get Mad at Questions. You ask "Why does it work this way?" and they say stuff like "Don't overthink it" or "Just trust the process." Nope. A real leader welcomes questions.

4. The Promises Are Crazy. They're talking about you buying a Mercedes in 3 months when you're still struggling to afford data. Come on. Be real.

So, What Does a Real Bridge Look Like?

If you're the downline, your main job is to be coachable. You joined for a reason, so listen. Take the advice. Do the work. But also, think for yourself. Your upline should be a guide, not a dictator.

If you're the upline, like I'm learning to be, your job is so much bigger. Your legacy isn't the money you make. It's the people you help win. You have to lead with your heart. You have to teach them how to be independent, not how to be dependent on you. You have to provide real training, not just forward a PDF. You have to be a source of truth.

Look, this journey is tough. I'm only 20, I've only been at this for a year, but the lessons come fast and hard. The theory of upline and downline isn't some complex business school thing. It's just modern mentorship. It's about someone who's a few steps ahead offering a hand, and someone else having the sense to take it.

Build bridges, not chains. Be a real upline. Choose a real upline.

I'm Brian Ouma, and I'm out here trying to build my bridge, one genuine conversation at a time. You can do it too. Just keep it real.