967creative

MLM Software built on transparency, not data extortion

Overview

One of the things I’m most proud of in my portfolio is probably the hardest one to show. For the past 8 years I have partnered with BitJar Labs to craft a robust and comprehensive back office solution for the network marketing industry. ONYX is a comprehensive multi-level marketing platform designed to challenge an industry built on predatory pricing and data gatekeeping. While legacy providers charged excessive fees just to access basic information and held client data hostage, ONYX was built on a straightforward principle: companies should own and control their data without artificial barriers.

The Problem

The MLM software industry had a problematic business model:

Data held hostage – Simple reporting required paying for development hours
Excessive access fees – Companies paid premium prices to see their own information
Vendor lock-in – Migration was so painful that clients stayed despite poor service

MLM businesses needed software that actually helped them operate efficiently, not systems designed to maximize revenue through artificial restriction

My Role

I designed user-friendly interfaces for three distinct user roles:

Super Admin – Software owner level for managing tenant features & settings

MLM companies – Administrative tools providing complete control and visibility without constant developer support. CMS controls for public storefronts and affiliate dashboards

Customers – Intuitive dashboards for managing accounts, viewing commissions, and tracking performance

Distributors – Clear portals for monitoring genealogy networks, earnings, and team metrics

Each interface required balancing different technical skill levels and needs while maintaining a cohesive design language that reinforced trust and transparency.

The Solution

• Complete data ownership – All data belongs to the client. No paywalls, no artificial limits, no charges for basic access.

• Full transparency – Clear visibility into commission structures, genealogy trees, transaction histories, and all business operations.

• Self-service administration – Common tasks that previously required billable hours are now intuitive, built-in features.

• Straightforward pricing – Fair pricing that doesn’t penalize clients for using their software.

• Security by design – PCI compliance built from the foundation, not treated as an expensive add-on.

Design Approach

Unified experience across interfaces – Administrative backend, personal dashboards, and public storefronts share a consistent design language that builds trust across all user types.

Clarity in complexity – MLM structures are inherently complex. The interface organizes this complexity through clear hierarchies and logical grouping tailored to each user’s needs.

Appropriate information density – Administrators get comprehensive data views, distributors get focused network insights, customers get accessible summaries. Each interface balances depth with usability.

Transparency throughout – Every calculation, commission structure, and genealogy relationship is visible and verifiable. No hidden processes.

Progressive complexity – Advanced features remain accessible to power users while guided workflows support less technical users—essential when technical literacy varies widely across affiliate networks.

Performance at scale – Whether managing 100 or 10,000 affiliates, the interface maintains speed and usability. Genealogy trees stay navigable, calculations process efficiently, dashboards load quickly.