Akademik

n.

In a multilevel marketing business, the people that a person recruits into the business. Also, downline (noun): the sales commision generated by those recruits.

"[Mannix Li Man-kay's] success depends in large part on his ability to persuade others to sign up as his 'downlines'. This is the network of distributors under him who are either recruited by him or have been brought in by his recruits, their recruits and so on. So far, Mr Li has built a 'business' of more than 200 downlines. Like other 'uplines', he collects commissions on downline sales."

— Charmaine Chan, "Growing army of direct sellers," The South China Morning Post, May 9, 1999