Falcon Academy

The Complete Sales Compensation Curriculum

Master incentive compensation from foundations to AI. 60 practitioner-written lessons built from real engagements. Free, no sign-up required.

11
Modules
60
Lessons
Free
No sign-up
Start with Module 1: Foundations

Curriculum

Click any module to see its lessons. Start anywhere — each lesson stands on its own.

01
Foundations
4 lessons
1.1What Is Incentive Compensation? 1.2The Comp Ecosystem: Who Does What 1.3Anatomy of a Comp Plan 1.4Five Failure Modes
02
Plan Design
8 lessons
2.1Setting OTE: How Much Should You Pay? 2.2Pay Mix 2.3Choosing Measures 2.4Payout Curves 2.5Caps, Gates & Clawbacks 2.6SPIFFs & Contests 2.7Multi-Role Design 2.8The Plan Document
03
Plan Design by Context
12 lessons · Industry blueprints
3.1Transactional / Velocity Sales 3.2Mid-Market Consultative 3.3Enterprise / Complex 3.4Land and Expand 3.5Channel / Partner 3.6Consumption / Usage 3.7SaaS / Cloud 3.8Life Sciences / Pharma 3.9Financial Services 3.10Manufacturing / Industrial 3.11Cybersecurity 3.12Professional Services
04
Quota & Territory
5 lessons
4.1Quota Setting Methodology 4.2Territory Design 4.3Quota Allocation & Fairness 4.4Mid-Year Quota Changes 4.5Ramp Quotas
05
Crediting
4 lessons
5.1Crediting Fundamentals 5.2Split Credits & Overlays 5.3Complex Crediting 5.4Crediting Disputes
06
Operations
5 lessons
6.1The Payout Cycle 6.2Data Quality 6.3Calculation Engine 6.4Exception Handling 6.5Audit & Compliance
07
Reporting & Communication
4 lessons
7.1Plan Communication 7.2Rep Statements 7.3Dispute Resolution 7.4Mid-Year Communication
08
Analytics
4 lessons
8.1Attainment Distribution 8.2Cost of Compensation 8.3Pay for Performance 8.4Plan Effectiveness
09
Technology
4 lessons
9.1Build vs Buy 9.2Evaluating SPM Platforms 9.3Building Custom 9.4Hybrid Approach
10
Advanced Topics
5 lessons
10.1International Compensation 10.2M&A Integration 10.3EU Pay Transparency 10.4Advanced Channel 10.5Deferred Compensation
11
AI in Compensation
5 lessons
11.1AI in Comp Operations 11.2Using AI for Plan Analysis 11.3AI-Powered Reporting 11.4Market Intelligence with AI 11.5Building AI into Your Comp Stack

Interactive Tools

Free calculators, diagnostics, and builders to put theory into practice.

Calculator
Commission Structure Modeler
Design and visualize compensation plans with accelerators, decelerators, and multi-measure structures.
Try it free →
Benchmarking
OTE Market Benchmarker
Benchmark OTE by role, geography, company size, and industry with 2026 market data.
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Guide + Calculator
Pay Mix Guide
Find the right base-to-variable ratio. See if your variable pay is actually variable.
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Diagnostic
Build vs Buy SPM Diagnostic
Should you buy an SPM platform or build custom? Interactive decision framework.
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Diagnostic
Comp Plan Complexity Tax
Calculate the hidden operational cost of your plan complexity.
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Builder
Comp Plan Document Builder
Generate a professional compensation plan document your reps will actually read.
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Reference
Compensation Glossary
Every incentive compensation term defined in plain language. From accelerators to windfall clauses.
Browse →
Playbook
Quota Setting Playbook
Complete quota methodology with top-down vs bottom-up frameworks and a Fairness Calculator.
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Wizard
Sales Comp for Startups
Building your first comp plan? A wizard that designs your plan based on stage and motion.
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Checklist
SPM Buyer's Checklist
40 questions to ask SPM vendors before you sign. Covers data, calculation, and commercial terms.
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