--- title: "Strategic Partnerships Unlocked: Attribution, Hyperscalers & AI | Olga Lykova S4:E13" description: Unlock the secrets to successful strategic partnerships with insights on attribution, hyperscalers, and AI from Olga Lykova in this episode of Force and Friction. image: https://mikejmidgley.com/hubfs/Force%20and%20Friction%20Podcast/S4E13%20-%20Olga%20Lykova/Olga%20Lykova%20Podcast%20Hero%20.png --- [![Mike Midgley - MASTER Brand - 1024](https://mikejmidgley.com/hubfs/Mike%20Midgley%20-%20MASTER%20Brand%20-%201024.svg) ![Mike Midgley - MASTER Brand - 1024](https://mikejmidgley.com/hubfs/Mike%20Midgley%20-%20MASTER%20Brand%20-%201024.svg)](https://mikejmidgley.com/) [![Mike Midgley - MASTER Brand - 1024](https://mikejmidgley.com/hubfs/Mike%20Midgley%20-%20MASTER%20Brand%20-%201024.svg)](https://mikejmidgley.com/) - [Meet Mike](https://mikejmidgley.com/meet-mike) - [Speaking](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/podcast/javascript;) - [The Strategy Compass](https://mikejmidgley.com/speaking-keynote-session/the-strategy-compass) - [Moonshot Thinking](https://mikejmidgley.com/speaking-keynote-session/moonshot-thinking) - [Chameleons and Rivers](https://mikejmidgley.com/speaking-keynote-session/chameleons-and-rivers) - [The Phoenix Strategy](https://mikejmidgley.com/speaking-keynote-session/the-phoenix-strategy) - [NXD Navigator](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/podcast/javascript;) - [Board Navigator](https://mikejmidgley.com/nxd-navigator/board) - [Launch Navigator](https://mikejmidgley.com/nxd-navigator/launch) - [Growth Navigator](https://mikejmidgley.com/nxd-navigator/growth) - [Turnaround Navigator](https://mikejmidgley.com/nxd-navigator/turnaround) - [Investor Navigator](https://mikejmidgley.com/nxd-navigator/venture-capital-private-equity) - [Insights](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/podcast/javascript;) - [Blog & Podcast](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights) - [The OpenMike Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3biOsAwSICgz6yRHsnOzTO?si=fb7921a1fb1e4c94) - [Force & Friction Podcast](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/tag/podcast) - [Meet Mike](https://mikejmidgley.com/meet-mike) - [Speaking](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/podcast/javascript;) - [The Strategy Compass](https://mikejmidgley.com/speaking-keynote-session/the-strategy-compass) - [Moonshot Thinking](https://mikejmidgley.com/speaking-keynote-session/moonshot-thinking) - [Chameleons and Rivers](https://mikejmidgley.com/speaking-keynote-session/chameleons-and-rivers) - [The Phoenix Strategy](https://mikejmidgley.com/speaking-keynote-session/the-phoenix-strategy) - [NXD Navigator](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/podcast/javascript;) - [Board Navigator](https://mikejmidgley.com/nxd-navigator/board) - [Launch Navigator](https://mikejmidgley.com/nxd-navigator/launch) - [Growth Navigator](https://mikejmidgley.com/nxd-navigator/growth) - [Turnaround Navigator](https://mikejmidgley.com/nxd-navigator/turnaround) - [Investor Navigator](https://mikejmidgley.com/nxd-navigator/venture-capital-private-equity) - [Insights](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/podcast/javascript;) - [Blog & Podcast](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights) - [The OpenMike Podcast](https://open.spotify.com/show/3biOsAwSICgz6yRHsnOzTO?si=fb7921a1fb1e4c94) - [Force & Friction Podcast](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/tag/podcast) [Partner with Mike](https://mikejmidgley.com/contact) [Mike J Midgley Insights](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights) Categories - [Podcast](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/tag/podcast) - [Growth Navigator](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/tag/growth-navigator) - [GTM RevOps](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/tag/gtm-revops) - [Revenue Architecture](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/tag/revenue-architecture) - [Boardroom Navigator](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/tag/boardroom-navigator) - [Launch Navigator](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/tag/launch-navigator) - [Turnaround Navigator](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/tag/turnaround-navigator) [Podcast](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/tag/podcast) Jul 21, 2025 • [Mike J Midgley](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/author/mike-midgley) # Strategic Partnerships Unlocked: Attribution, Hyperscalers & AI | Olga Lykova S4:E13 [![F&F - Community Podcast Icon](https://mikejmidgley.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/F%26F%20-%20Community%20Podcast%20Icon-Jun-23-2025-10-50-20-4411-AM.png?width=100&height=100&name=F%26F%20-%20Community%20Podcast%20Icon-Jun-23-2025-10-50-20-4411-AM.png)](https://forceandfriction.6teen30.com/resources) [![F&F - Apple Podcast Icon](https://mikejmidgley.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/F%26F%20-%20Apple%20Podcast%20Icon-Jun-23-2025-10-50-31-1378-AM.png?width=100&height=100&name=F%26F%20-%20Apple%20Podcast%20Icon-Jun-23-2025-10-50-31-1378-AM.png)](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-force-friction-podcast/id1516315339) [![F&F - Spotify Podcast Icon](https://mikejmidgley.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/F%26F%20-%20Spotify%20Podcast%20Icon-Jun-23-2025-10-49-47-2059-AM.png?width=100&height=100&name=F%26F%20-%20Spotify%20Podcast%20Icon-Jun-23-2025-10-49-47-2059-AM.png)](https://open.spotify.com/show/1nQRBuZDdtx2fBBpia2Ubn) [![F&F - Amazon Podcast Icon](https://mikejmidgley.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/F%26F%20-%20Amazon%20Podcast%20Icon-Jun-23-2025-10-50-30-0665-AM.png?width=100&height=100&name=F%26F%20-%20Amazon%20Podcast%20Icon-Jun-23-2025-10-50-30-0665-AM.png)](https://music.amazon.de/podcasts/a0fd412e-8dff-47d3-9d76-3ffbacef890b/the-force-friction-podcast) In Season 4, Episode 13 of *Force and Friction*, we welcome **Olga Lykova**, Head of Partnerships at [Monday.com](https://monday.com/) Olga brings a powerful blend of experience in GTM, channel sales, and hyperscaler partnerships to the conversation, unpacking what it *really* takes to build partnerships that drive revenue, not just relationships. We dig into everything from the messy reality of attribution to the critical nuances of AI go-to-market alignment with cloud giants like Microsoft and AWS. If you’re looking to operationalize strategic partnerships in a modern GTM motion, this episode is an unfiltered masterclass. [![Olga Lykova - Force & Friction Podcast](https://mikejmidgley.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Force%20and%20Friction%20Podcast/S4E13%20-%20Olga%20Lykova/Olga%20Lykova%20-%20Force%20%26%20Friction%20Podcast.png?width=274&height=274&name=Olga%20Lykova%20-%20Force%20%26%20Friction%20Podcast.png)](https://www.linkedin.com/in/olgalykova/) ### Olga Lykova Olga Lykova is a strategic partnerships executive with deep expertise in ecosystem-led growth. As Head of Partnerships, North America at monday.com, she drives more than half of the company’s revenue through partner ecosystems. With a track record of leading GTM strategies across Salesforce-native firms, Olga is also a cloud channel expert, having built alliances with AWS, Google Cloud, and Microsoft Azure. She’s a member of the [Forbes Business Development Council](https://councils.forbes.com/forbesbizdevcouncil) and host of the [Rules to Thrive podcast](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/rules-to-thrive-with-olga-lykova/id1802736319), where she champions women in tech leadership. [Follow Olga](https://www.linkedin.com/in/olgalykova/) Watch the Episode: --- Here are the core areas we discuss in today's episode: ### **Attribution: Still a Mess, but Critical** Olga doesn’t mince words when it comes to one of the most debated topics in partnerships: attribution. > ***“The big challenge with attribution is that every company defines it differently… You have to be very deliberate and define what success means to your organization.”*** She emphasizes the need to define what attribution looks like at different GTM stages—from influence to sourced—and warns against relying solely on form fills or deal tags to prove value. ### **Hyperscalers and the ‘Attach’ Game** Having built GTM motions with AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, Olga gives a candid look into what partnering with hyperscalers really entails. > ***“At the end of the day, those big cloud players care about what attaches to their compute. That’s the business model.”*** She explains how you need to *align to their incentives,* whether that’s building joint GTM plays, co-selling, or surfacing your wins through their marketplace metrics. ### **Rules to Thrive Podcast - [Watch Here:](https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/rules-to-thrive-with-olga-lykova/id1802736319)** ![Rules to Thrive Podcast - Olga Lykova](https://mikejmidgley.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Force%20and%20Friction%20Podcast/S4E13%20-%20Olga%20Lykova/Rules%20to%20Thrive%20Podcast%20-%20Olga%20Lykova.jpg?width=500&height=504&name=Rules%20to%20Thrive%20Podcast%20-%20Olga%20Lykova.jpg) ### **AI Partnerships: GTM Strategy, Not Just Tech** Olga highlights that the AI wave has added complexity to partner programs—especially when founders treat it as a product-only play. > ***“If AI is part of your stack and you’re integrating with Azure, great. But you still need a partner GTM motion—landing pages, demos, field plays. That’s where most teams fall short.”*** She shares how top companies are using **GTM alignment** as the differentiator in AI partnerships, not just the tech integrations themselves. ### **Partner-Led Growth Requires a Real Motion** Many leaders want the upside of ecosystems without the structure behind them. Olga stresses that *partner-led* can’t be wishful thinking, it needs operational rigor. > ***“You can’t say it’s partner-led growth if you don’t have a repeatable process to enable, to scale, to track, and to drive outcomes.”*** She outlines how internal education, cross-functional buy-in, and reliable attribution paths are all needed to move beyond partner theater. > ### **Final Thoughts:** > > Olga Lykova delivers a straight-talking view into what actually makes strategic partnerships work. Whether you’re navigating hyperscaler alliances or building an AI GTM motion, the message is clear: > > **Align incentives. Build repeatable systems. Track what matters.** > > Anything else is just noise. --- ### Ready to be Our Next Guest Contributor? [![F&F Podcast - Guest Contributor CTA](https://mikejmidgley.com/hs-fs/hubfs/Imported_Blog_Media/F%26F%20Podcast%20-%20Guest%20Contributor%20CTA-Jun-23-2025-10-49-36-5481-AM.png?width=1000&height=417&name=F%26F%20Podcast%20-%20Guest%20Contributor%20CTA-Jun-23-2025-10-49-36-5481-AM.png)](https://mikejmidgley.com/meetings/nxdnavigator/force-friction-podcast-) --- ### Your Host: A little about me, the host the show.  Please connect with me on LinkedIn I'd love to have you as part of our professional network ![MJM Bio USA](https://mikejmidgley.com/hs-fs/hubfs/MJM.com%20-%20Website/MJM.com%20-%20Website%20-%20Images%20-%20Meet%20Mike%20Page/MJM%20Bio%20USA.jpg?width=335&height=348&name=MJM%20Bio%20USA.jpg) Mike Midgley runs a portfolio career, a dynamic hands on digital entrepreneur, founder of the Scrubbing Squad, NXD, strategist, public speaker, Winning by Design certified Revenue Architect and Host at The Force & Friction Podcast. Mike has achieved multiple exits over a 30+ year career, raised Venture Capital and franchised his businesses 68 times. [Follow Mike](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-midgley/) ![MJM - Graphics\_Navigate Every Stage - Hashtag](https://mikejmidgley.com/hs-fs/hubfs/MJM.com%20-%20Website/MJM.com%20-%20Website%20-%20Graphics/MJM%20-%20Graphics_Navigate%20Every%20Stage%20-%20Hashtag.png?width=432&height=51&name=MJM%20-%20Graphics_Navigate%20Every%20Stage%20-%20Hashtag.png)   ![Stay Ahead with Mike’s Insights   Get straight to the point with actionable insights, no fluff, no spam. Subscribe to my blog for the latest strategies on navigating every stage.](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/7346913/interactive-181928818507.png) Published by [Mike J Midgley](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/author/mike-midgley) July 21, 2025 ![Mike J Midgley](https://mikejmidgley.com/hubfs/MJM%20Bio%20USA%20Fofce%20%26%20Friction%20Podcast.jpg) Comments ### You may also be interested in: [![](https://mikejmidgley.com/hubfs/Force%20and%20Friction%20Podcast/S7%20E2%20-%20Juhi%20Saha/Juhi%20Saha%20Podcast%20Hero.png) Read More](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/the-ecosystem-engine-how-to-turn-partnerships-into-your-fastest-growth-channel-juhi-saha-s7e2) [Podcast](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/tag/podcast) By [Mike J Midgley](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/author/mike-midgley) on July 21, 2025 ### [The Ecosystem Engine: How to Turn Partnerships Into Your Fastest Growth Channel | Juhi Saha S7:E2](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/the-ecosystem-engine-how-to-turn-partnerships-into-your-fastest-growth-channel-juhi-saha-s7e2) [![](https://mikejmidgley.com/hubfs/Force%20and%20Friction%20Podcast/S7%20E1%20-%20Jon%20Tsourakis/Jon%20Tsourakis%20Podcast%20Hero.png) Read More](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/podcast/forged-in-recession-the-unconventional-playbook-for-agency-survival-growth) [Podcast](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/tag/podcast) By [Mike J Midgley](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/author/mike-midgley) on July 21, 2025 ### [Forged in Recession: The Unconventional Playbook for Agency Survival & Growth | Jon Tsourakis S7:E1](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/podcast/forged-in-recession-the-unconventional-playbook-for-agency-survival-growth) [![](https://mikejmidgley.com/hubfs/Force%20and%20Friction%20Podcast/S6%20E14%20-%20Shawn%20Perritt/Shawn%20Perritt%20Podcast%20Hero.png) Read More](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/podcast/the-human-stack-why-ai-cant-replace-imagination-in-b2b-brand-building) [Podcast](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/tag/podcast) By [Mike J Midgley](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/author/mike-midgley) on July 21, 2025 ### [The Human Stack: Why AI Can't Replace Imagination in B2B Brand Building | Shawn Perritt S6:E14](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/podcast/the-human-stack-why-ai-cant-replace-imagination-in-b2b-brand-building) [![](https://mikejmidgley.com/hubfs/Lindsay%20Tjepkema%20Podcast%20Hero.png) Read More](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/podcast/human-brands-win-the-anti-playbook-for-growth-in-an-ai-world) [Podcast](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/tag/podcast) By [Mike J Midgley](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/author/mike-midgley) on July 21, 2025 ### [Human Brands Win: The Anti-Playbook for Growth in an AI World | Lindsay Tjepkema S6:E13](https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/podcast/human-brands-win-the-anti-playbook-for-growth-in-an-ai-world) ![Mike Midgley - MASTER Brand - 1024](https://mikejmidgley.com/hubfs/Mike%20Midgley%20-%20MASTER%20Brand%20-%201024.svg) e: team@mikejmidgley.com [Meet Mike](https://mikejmidgley.com/meet-mike) [Speaking](https://mikejmidgley.com/speaking-keynote-session/moonshot-thinking) [NXD Navigator](https://mikejmidgley.com/nxd-navigator/launch) [Insights](https://mikejmidgley.com/blog) - [![Mike Midgley - Social Icons Green\_LinkedIn](https://mikejmidgley.com/hubfs/Mike%20Midgley%20-%20Social%20Icons%20Green_LinkedIn.svg)](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-midgley/) - [![Mike Midgley - Social Icons Green\_Instagram](https://mikejmidgley.com/hubfs/Mike%20Midgley%20-%20Social%20Icons%20Green_Instagram.svg)](https://www.instagram.com/mikejmidgley/) - [![Mike Midgley - Social Icons Green\_Youtube](https://mikejmidgley.com/hubfs/Mike%20Midgley%20-%20Social%20Icons%20Green_Youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/@mikejmidgley-nxd) - [![Mike Midgley - Social Icons Green\_Spotify](https://mikejmidgley.com/hubfs/Mike%20Midgley%20-%20Social%20Icons%20Green_Spotify.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/3biOsAwSICgz6yRHsnOzTO?si=d5dae68b29c44d41) ©2026 Mike J Midgley. All rights reserved. ```json { "@context" : "https://schema.org", "@type" : "BlogPosting", "author" : { "@type" : "Person", "name" : "Mike J Midgley", "url" : "https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/author/mike-midgley" }, "dateModified" : "2025-07-21T09:29:08.940Z", "datePublished" : "2025-07-21T08:40:10.000Z", "headline" : "Strategic Partnerships Unlocked: Attribution, Hyperscalers & AI | Olga Lykova S4:E13", "image" : [ "https://mikejmidgley.com/hubfs/Force%20and%20Friction%20Podcast/S4E13%20-%20Olga%20Lykova/Olga%20Lykova%20Podcast%20Hero%20.png" ], "mainEntityOfPage" : { "@id" : "https://mikejmidgley.com/insights/podcast/strategic-partnerships-unlocked-attribution-hyperscalers-ai-olga-lykova-s4e13", "@type" : "WebPage" }, "publisher" : { "@type" : "Organization", "logo" : { "@type" : "ImageObject", "url" : "https://mikejmidgley.com/hubfs/MJM%20Brand/MJM%20Brand%20-%20Logos/MJM.com%20-%20MASTER%20Brand_Logo%20-%20Black.svg" }, "name" : "Mike J Midgley" } } ```