Trevo launched in 2010 and operate in the nutritional supplement MLM niche.

The company operates out of Oklahoma in the US and is headed up by founders Mark (President and CEO) and Holli Stevens (Director of Finance).

Mark Steven’s Trevo corporate bio claims he’s a ‘well-known as a successful business owner, entrepreneur, leader, motivational speaker, best-selling author and humanitarian.‘

While still in high school Mark discovered his entrepreneurial spirit and passion for excellence as he became the owner of a soon-to-be nationally recognized music company.

Mark went on to build several successful corporations.

He has successfully built multi-million dollar companies as well as successful network marketing organizations of tens of thousands.

Holli Stevens’ bio states she

is an accomplished businesswoman in her own right. She has been nationally recognized as a top salesperson in the direct sales industry, having received a number of prestigious sales awards for consistently generating millions of dollars in sales.

Holli has also been recognized as a top recruiter in the industry, which is no surprise given her warm presence, her incredible business knowledge, and her unwavering integrity.

Prior to Trevo Mark and Holli ran Vision For Life, a natural supplement MLM company they founded in 1998.

Vision For Life marketed a similar product range to Trevo.

Whereas Vision For Life operated only in United States, Canada, Hong Kong, Philippines though, Trevo has more of a global presence.

I did try to suss out why Vision For Life shut down and was rebooted as Trevo but turned up nothing.

That said if Vision For Life was failing, then Trevo seems to have been a clean reboot.

One point of interest is Trevo getting caught up in a Nigerian money laundering scam mid last year.

One lonely widow from Kentucky was tricked out of more than $1 million by a man she met online at a dating website, the FBI says.

Another widow, from Missouri, withdrew $40,000 from her retirement account to send to an individual she met online, the FBI says. A Kansas woman lost $20,000.

An Oklahoma City man withdrew money from his business operating account, overdrew his personal bank accounts and used funds from a business loan to send money to a woman he met on a dating website before realizing he had been scammed.

The FBI alleges some of the money from those victims and others ended up in the bank account of Trevo LLC, an Oklahoma City-based multilevel marketing company.

The FBI seized $610,800 on July 12 from the Trevo LLC account at Wells Fargo Bank in Oklahoma City.

Not sure how that happened, but Stevens later clarified he himself was not under investigation.

At the time of publication Nigeria is the fourth largest source of traffic to the Trevo corporate website (7%).

Read on for a full review of the Trevo MLM opportunity.

Trevo Products

Trevo’s product culture is perhaps best summed up with an excerpt from Mark Steven’s corporate bio;

Mark is (the) author of Natural Secrets Drug Companies Don’t Want You To Know About, in which he shares the secrets of achieving good health naturally.

This fascinating read details how nature’s bounty of nutrients can keep us healthy without harmful chemicals.

Trevo market a juice that shares the same name as the company.

Trevo claim their juice contains “174 of nature’s finest nutraceutical ingredients” and is ‘unlike any other nutritional supplement you will find on the market‘.

This remarkable formula provides you and your family with a quick, delicious and easy way to restore, renew and revive your bodies.

Are you ready to enjoy increased energy, enhanced mental focus, vibrant good health and even weight management support?

If so, Trévo is the answer you have been searching for.

I was going to list the ingredients in Trevo’s juice here, but that was before i realized the ingredient booklet is fifty-two pages long.

When you try to buy Trevo juice as a retail customer, the website offers two “elite customer enrollment” options:

  1. one 32 oz bottle costs $59.99
  2. two 32 oz bottles cost $109.99

The Trevo website features a “2-Ounce Trévo2Go” option, however this doesn’t seem purchaseable through the Trevo website (at least not in the US).

Not sure what’s going on there.

The Trevo Compensation Plan

Trevo’s compensation rewards affiliates for selling Trevo juice to retail customers.

Affiliates are also paid to recruit new affiliates, with most of the compensation plan geared around an eight-level deep unilevel team.

Trevo Affiliate Ranks

There are twenty-0ne affiliate ranks within the Trevo compensation plan.

Along with their respective qualification criteria they are as follows:

  • Affiliate – sign up as a Trevo affiliate and purchase a PowerStart Enrollment kit
  • Bronze – buy in at PS2 and generate 20,000 GV a month (at least 4000 GV in the first eight unilevel levels)
  • Silver – generate 20,000 GV a month (at least 4000 GV in the first eight unilevel levels)
  • Gold – generate 40,000 GV a month (at least 6000 GV in the first eight unilevel levels)
  • Platinum – generate 50,000 GV a month (at least 8000 GV in the first eight unilevel levels)
  • Platinum Executive – buy in at PS3 and generate 60,000 GV a month (at least 10,000 GV int he first eight unilevel levels)
  • Amethyst – generate 100,000 GV a month (at least 13,000 GV int he first eight unilevel levels)
  • White Sapphire – buy in at PS4 and generate 200,000 GV a month (at least 17,000 GV int he first eight unilevel levels)
  • Ruby – generate 300,000 GV a month (at least 20,000 GV in the first eight unilevel levels)
  • Blue Sapphire – buy in at PS5 and generate 400,000 GV a month (at least 23,000 GV int he first eight unilevel levels)
  • Emerald – generate 500,000 GV a month (at least 26,000 GV int he first eight unilevel levels)
  • Emerald Elite – buy in at PS6 and generate 1,000,000 GV a month (at least 45,000 GV int he first eight unilevel levels)
  • Blue Diamond – generate 2,000,000 GV a month (at least 55,000 GV int he first eight unilevel levels)
  • Blue Diamond Elite – generate 3,000,000 GV a month (at least 65,000 GV int he first eight unilevel levels)
  • Yellow Diamond – generate 4,000,000 GV a month (at least 75,000 GV int he first eight unilevel levels)
  • Yellow Diamond Elite – generate 5,000,000 GV a month (at least 85,000 GV int he first eight unilevel levels)
  • White Diamond – generate 7,000,000 GV a month (at least 150,000 GV int he first eight unilevel levels)
  • White Diamond Elite – generate 9,000,000 GV a month (at least 225,000 GV int he first eight unilevel levels)
  • Black Diamond – generate 11,000,000 GV a month (at least 300,000 GV int he first eight unilevel levels)
  • Black Diamond Elite – generate 13,000,000 GV a month (at least 400,000 GV int he first eight unilevel levels)
  • Black Diamond Grand Elite – generate 15,000,000 GV a month (at least 500,000 GV int he first eight unilevel levels)

Note that up to Yellow Diamond Elite up to 20,000 GV is counted from any one unilevel leg.

From White Diamond up to 50,000 GV is counted from any one unilevel leg.

GV stands for “Group Volume” and is sales volume generated by a Trevo affiliate’s downline (includes affiliate purchases).

Retail Commissions

Trevo pay affiliates to sell bottles of Trevo to retail customers via a unilevel compensation structure.

A unilevel compensation structure places an affiliate at the top of a unilevel team, with every personally recruited affiliate placed directly under them (level 1):

If any level 1 affiliates recruit new affiliates, they are placed on level 2 of the original affiliate’s unilevel team.

If any level 2 affiliates recruit new affiliates, they are placed on level 3 and so on and so forth down a theoretical infinite number of levels.

Trevo cap payable unilevel levels at eight, with retail commissions paid out across these eight levels:

  • retail sales of one bottle of Trevo generates a $12 commission on level 1 (personal retail customers) and $1.70 across levels 2 to 8
  • retail sales of two bottles of Trevo generates a $22 commission on level 1 and $3.25 across levels 2 to 8

Residual retail commissions are also paid out on recurring monthly orders by preferred customers (elite customers):

  • preferred customer autoship order of one bottle = $9.60 on level 1 (personal customers) and $1.55 across levels 2 to 8
  • preferred customer autoship order of two bottles = $18 on level 1 and $2.90 across levels 2 to 8
  • preferred customer autoship order of four bottles = $33.6 on level 1 and $5.45 across levels 2 to 8
  • preferred customer autoship order of six bottles = $50.60 on level 1 and $8.15 across levels 2 to 8
  • preferred customer autoship order of fifteen bottles of 2Go = $9 on level 1 and $8.15 across levels 2 to 8
  • preferred customer autoship order of thirty bottles of 2Go = $16.80 on level 1 and $8.15 across levels 2 to 8

Recruitment Commissions

Trevo affiliates are paid to recruit new affiliates via the same eight-level deep unilevel structure retail commissions are paid through.

When a Trevo affiliate signs up they purchase a PowerStart Enrollment kit.

Each PowerStart Enrollment Kit generates commissions throughout eight levels of the unilevel team:

  • recruit a PS1 affiliate and receive $12 on level 1 (personally recruited affiliates), $3 on level 2, $2 on levels 3 and 4 and $1 on levels 5 to 8
  • recruit a PS2 affiliate and receive $40 on level 1, $10 on level 2, $8 on level 3, $5 on level 4, $2 on levels 5 and 6 and $1 on levels 7 and 8
  • recruit a PS3 affiliate and receive $72 on level 1, $17 on level 2, $12 on level 3, $8 on level 4, $4 on levels 5 and 6 and $2 on levels 7 and 8
  • recruit a PS4 affiliate and receive $100 on level 1, $24 on level 2, $17 on level 3, $13 on level 4, $5 on levels 5 and 6 and $3 on levels 7 and 8
  • recruit a PS5 affiliate and receive $161 on level 1, $39 on level 2, $28 on level 3, $19 on level 4, $8 on levels 5 and 6 and $4 on levels 7 and 8
  • recruit a PS6 affiliate and receive $228 on level 1, $55 on level 2, $40 on level 3, $27 on level 4, $12 on levels 5 and 6 and $5 on levels 7 and 8

Affiliates can only earn the rate that corresponds with the PowerStart Enrollment kit they they themselves bought in at.

Trevo recruitment commissions are thus coded, with the difference paid to the first upline affiliate at the appropriate rank.

Eg. A PS3 affiliate recruits a PS4 affiliate.

The PS3 affiliate is paid $72, with the remaining $28 paid to the first upline PS4 or higher ranked affiliate found. This process also applies to the seven remaining level commissions, each in turn paid to the first PS4 or higher affiliate found (until all seven residual level commissions are paid out).

Trevo affiliates can also upgrade their PowerStart Enrollment kit level, which triggers residual upgrade commissions via the same unilevel team structure (also coded).

Residual Commissions

Residual commissions on downline sales volume is again paid out via the eight-level deep unilevel team.

How many levels a Trevo affiliate earns residual commissions on is determined by their monthly PV production:

  • generate 34 PV a month and receive residual commissions on level 1 (personally recruited affiliates)
  • generate 72 PV a month and receive residual commissions on levels 1 to 3
  • generate 100 PV a month and receive residual commissions on levels 1 to 5
  • generate 200 PV a month or more and receive residual commissions on all eight available levels

PV stands for “Personal Volume” and is sales volume generated by personal retail sales and an affiliate’s own purchase of product.

Trevo calculate residual commissions based on configurable product purchases as follows:

  • one bottle of Trevo order = $2.72 commission across levels 1 and 2 and $1.75 across levels 3 to 8
  • two bottles of Trevo order = $5.50 commission across levels 1 and 2 and $3 across levels 3 to 8
  • one case of Trevo order = $7 commission across levels 1 and 2 and $5 across levels 3 to 8
  • one case and one bottle of Trevo order = $9.25 commission across levels 1 and 2 and $6.50 across levels 3 to 8
  • two cases of Trevo order = $15 across levels 1 and 2 and $10 across levels 3 to 8

Rank Achievement Bonus

Trevo reward affiliates with $500 when the qualify at the Bronze and Platinum Executive ranks for the first time.

Additional qualification criteria for the Bronze bonus are:

  • Bronze rank qualification must be within two months of signing up (counted after the sign up month)
  • must have recruited at least three affiliates who have generated GV
  • at least half of the required GV across the first eight unilevel levels must come from two or more individual legs

Additional qualification criteria for the  Platinum Executive bonus are:

  • Platinum rank qualification must be within four months of signing up (counted after the sign up month)
  • must have recruited at least nine affiliates who have generated GV
  • at least half of the required GV across the first eight unilevel levels must come from two or more individual legs or entirely from the downlines of five personally recruited affiliates (eight unilevel levels across two or more legs)

Pool Bonus

Trevo take 15% of company-wide revenue and place it into fifteen separate bonus pools.

Trevo affiliates accumulate one share in each of the fifteen pools starting at the Amethyst rank.

Car Bonus

Trevo affiliates generating 1,000,000 GV a month or more qualify for a monthly Car Bonus of up to $1000.

Approved car brands are BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes, Lexus, Audi or Range Rover.

Trevo Car Bonus qualification criteria is as follows:

  • generate 45,000 GV a month across a minimum of three unilevel legs and receive a $550 Car Bonus
  • generate 55,000 GV a month across a minimum of three unilevel legs and receive a $750 Car Bonus
  • generate 65,000 GV a month across a minimum of four unilevel legs and receive a $1000 Car Bonus

At least half of required GV must come from the first eight levels of the unilevel team, with up to 20,000 GV counted from any one unilevel leg.

Joining Trevo

Trevo affiliate membership is $20 plus the purchase of a PowerStart Enrollment kit:

  • PS1 1 Bottle System – $72
  • PS2 PowerStart System – $170
  • PS2 Exposure Pack – $170
  • PS3 Director PowerStart System – $302
  • PS4 – Elite Director PowerStart System – $425
  • PS5 – Executive PowerStart System – $665
  • PS6 – Elite Executive PowerStart System – $980

The primary difference between the PowerStart Enrollment Kits is bottles of Trevo included and income potential through the Trevo compensation plan.

Conclusion

It struck me as odd that Trevo didn’t provide basic retail pricing on their website, instead opting to only show preferred customer options for one or two bottles of juice.

Reselling affiliate purchased product seems to be a big part of Trevo, with the company selling “bulk packs” of up to 36 bottles ($1224) to affiliates.

The goal of every Life and Health Coach should be to sell 24 bottles to Retail Customers and potential Team Members in the first 90 days.

Obviously this falls well outside personal consumption, meaning an affiliate is either purchasing to qualify for commissions (monthly PV) or reselling to retail customers.

There is nothing in the Trevo compensation plan about the company verifying retail sales are being made by affiliates who purchase bulk packs.

This is a problem as even on a smaller level (monthly PV requirements met by an affiliate purchase), matching retail sales volume isn’t required anywhere in the compensation plan.

Pay to play and chain-recruitment are also major compliance problems present in the Trevo compensation plan.

Recruitment commissions in and of themselves are a compliance issue for MLM companies.

In Trevo recruitment commissions are tied to product purchases by those recruited. The problem is retail customers aren’t going to purchase enrolment kits, so sales revenue generated to pay recruitment commissions is 100% tied to affiliate recruitment.

Without the act of affiliate recruitment itself Trevo wouldn’t be able to pay its recruitment commissions (the product purchase is a means to an end).

Things get even murky when you consider how much a newly recruited affiliate spends on their PowerStart Enrollment Kit dictates income potential.

This is evident when an affiliate signs up but also by way of Trevo permitting affiliates to “upgrade” their pay level by purchasing a more expensive PowerStart kit.

Income potential in MLM should always be tied to individual and residual sales performance, not how much an affiliate spends when they sign up.

This is referred to as “pay to play” and is frowned upon by regulators. Not the DSA though, who Trevo are proudly a member company of.

At the end of the day what Trevo comes down to is whether retail customers are willing to pay sixty bucks for 32 oz (1 liter) of juice.

Trevo’s juice is (purportedly) jam-packed with 174 ingredients but you’ve got to wonder what percentage of the juice formula each individual ingredient makes up. A lot of a lot or a lot of a little with some main base ingredients making up the majority of the formula?

That said the juice seems healthy enough, I’m just not convinced that without the attached income opportunity it’s viable at $59.99 a liter.

What happened with Vision For Life is probably relevant here, but as I mentioned in the review introduction I couldn’t find anything explaining if it was a collapse or reboot of a succesful company.

Given the product appears to be the same and after twelve years in business, if I had to bet it wasn’t the latter.

To their credit Trevo are in quite a lot of countries around the world and are one of the more healthier MLM companies around (no pun intended).

Even if you take the juice at face value though, what kills it for me are the blatant recruitment commissions and pay to play.

Should a US regulator investigate the company, I see those two compensation components as major red flags.

Pegging PV to specific order amounts for residual commission qualification is also suspicious, as it reduces the requirement to an a set amount of product an affiliate purchases each month.

Typically an MLM company will provide PV amounts without explicitly specifying an exact product order configuration (unless they’re being dodgy and force affiliates to qualify through autoship).

If you’re a prospective Trevo affiliate, definitely check with your prospective upline as to whether they’re monthly qualifying on their own order or through verified retail sales (ask to see receipts).

Remember, resale of their own order doesn’t count as the PV has already been generated by their own purchase.