In Season 4, Episode 9 of Force and Friction, we welcome Antonio Caridad, former Head of Global Partner Operations at Google Cloud and a strategic mind behind some of the most sophisticated partner ecosystems in tech.
Antonio breaks down why Partner Ops isn’t just a support function—it is the strategy. From tiering frameworks and attribution logic to co-selling enablement and deal lifecycle design, Antonio shows how partner operations unlock scalable, repeatable growth across global ecosystems.
If you’re serious about building modern GTM ecosystems, this episode is packed with operational insights that go beyond the hype—and into the systems that make partnerships work.
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Antonio Caridad
A globally recognized leader in Partner Operations and GTM strategy. With over 16 years of experience across SaaS and telecoms, and more than 14 years focused on GTM execution and partner ecosystems.
While his early background was in engineering and direct sales, Antonio is now fully dedicated to Partner RevOps, championing the systems, data, and operational rigor needed to turn partnerships into repeatable growth engines.
He’s also a community-first leader who invests in lifting the ecosystem.
Watch the Episode:
Here are the core areas we discuss in today's episode:
Partner Ops Isn’t Support, It’s the Strategy
Antonio opens with a clear thesis: companies that treat Partner Ops like back-office admin are missing the point. Partner Ops is where partner strategy becomes executable, and without it, co-selling and partner-led growth simply don’t scale.
“Partner Ops is how the strategy becomes real. If you can’t execute it, it’s not a strategy—it’s a slide.”
He explains how partner operations create the architecture for everything from onboarding and tiering to pipeline sharing and performance tracking.
The GTM Engine Behind Co-Selling: Precision in the Partner Lifecycle
Antonio walks through the anatomy of a modern co-sell engine, from partner onboarding and enablement to the real-time exchange of pipeline signals, attribution clarity, and mutual success metrics.
“Without precision in the partner lifecycle, co-selling becomes chaos. Every motion breaks down.”
He outlines how clarity in Partner Ops ensures that reps know what’s expected, partners know how to win, and the company knows how to measure results.
Tiering, Incentives, and the Attribution Trap
One of the most practical segments of the episode is Antonio’s take on partner tiering and attribution. He explains how poorly designed tiers or unclear attribution rules cause misalignment between internal teams and partners.
“If attribution isn’t agreed and visible, you’ll lose trust with both your reps and your partners.”
Antonio shares tactical advice for designing tiering models that motivate partner performance and attribution systems that support transparency and credibility across the funnel.
Scaling the System: What Breaks Without a Partner Ops Foundation
Antonio shares war stories from hyper scale, what happens when Partner Ops isn’t in place, and how broken workflows, unscalable spreadsheets, and one-off partner asks start compounding.
“Without Partner Ops, your partner program becomes a collection of favors. That’s not a business model.”
He explains how companies can build the foundation early, layering in tools, documentation, and systems that support 100s or 1,000s of partners without losing control.
AI and the Future of Partner Operations
Antonio also offers a forward-looking view: how AI will impact Partner Ops over the next 12–24 months. He sees a future where AI agents support partner onboarding, alert teams to stale opportunities, and recommend optimizations in real time.
“AI will make Partner Ops more proactive. It won’t just measure performance—it’ll prescribe the next best action.”
This shift could turn Partner Ops into one of the most intelligent functions in GTM, helping companies scale faster with greater precision.
Final Thoughts
Antonio Caridad brings a sharp, systems-first lens to partnerships—one that’s long overdue. In his world, Partner Ops isn’t reactive—it’s revenue architecture.
For SaaS leaders building ecosystems, and RevOps pros building for scale, this episode offers a masterclass in what it really takes to turn a partnership strategy into repeatable growth.
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A little about Mike who hosts the show. Please connect with us on LinkedIn we would love to have you as part of our professional networks.
Mike Midgley runs a portfolio career, a dynamic digital entrepreneur, nxd, strategist, public speaker, Winning by Design certified Revenue Architect and Host at The Force & Friction Podcast.
Mike has achieved successful six and seven-figure exits over a 30+ year career, raised in excess of £1.6m [$2.5m] in Venture Capital and franchised his businesses 68 times.
