When TGS was just three founding firms, meeting in a London hotel basement, Jeroen van der Linden saw what others missed: the opportunity to grow with a network instead of getting lost in one.

The basement beginning

It happened in London, in Q4 2011. Eleven professionals gathered in a hotel basement, some literally hiding behind newspapers so they wouldn't be seen by competitors - or by members of the networks they already belonged to.

James Frost, the newly appointed CEO, had assembled this unlikely group, alongside some Americans and the French firm Soregor, which was represented in the basement by Marc Desjardins.

Other attendees included representatives from firms in Spain, Cyprus, Italy, Ireland, Switzerland... and Jeroen, a Dutch tax specialist starting his own firm.

"What happens in the basement stays in the basement," jokes Jeroen now.

Some of the others seemed uncertain, but Jeroen was excited.

He'd met the Americans at a Chicago conference, and knew that their firm had no Dutch presence. He already knew colleagues from Cyprus. Most importantly, he was launching his own international tax practice—and needed a network.

"I never had any doubts," he recalls.

The brand decision

Here's where Jeroen's strategic thinking separated him from many network joiners.

Instead of treating network membership as an add-on service, he built his entire firm identity around it. From day one, he called his Amsterdam practice "TCS Lime Tree" (later changed to "TGS Lime Tree" after the rebrand).

"A brand new network was a great opportunity, to use the brand from the start," he explains.

While other founding members kept their existing names and treated TGS as a secondary credential, Jeroen made it primary. His firm wasn't just a TGS member but a TGS firm.

Validation came unexpectedly: "Someone said to me, oh how nice that you are sponsoring the Amsterdam marathon." They'd confused his TGS-branded firm with Tata Consulting Services, the actual sponsor.

The competitive advantage

Fourteen years later, Jeroen's early brand commitment delivers daily advantages:

Client confidence: “I'm a boutique firm and can serve international clients”

Credibility by association: “Kuala Lumpur? Yes, we can help”

Trust transfer: “It's important that we can say we know and trust the member in whichever country, and say ‘I’ve shared clients with them’”

Reduced replaceability: “I'm less replaceable if a client is also working with nine other TGS firms”

Data sharing benefits: “A client who works across several firms tends to generate additional work because we share data”

The patience principle

Like other successful TGS members, Jeroen understood that network benefits compound over time.

“The first years were a bit more bumpy but I was happy from the beginning,” he says.

He watched firms leave (Taylor Cox departed) and new ones join. His insight: "The more members you have, and the longer they stay, the more stable the network becomes."

By staying committed through the early uncertainty, Jeroen helped create the stability that now benefits all members.

The strategic insight

What Jeroen recognized in that basement meeting was a simple truth that most professionals miss: established networks offer proven credibility, but growing networks offer ownership.

“There are still some firms that don't use the TGS brand,” he notes. “They have cold feet.”

Nobody ever asked him whether they should use it. “But I would recommend it!”

His reasoning: if you're going to invest in network membership, why not maximise the brand benefits?

The lessons

For Strategic Positioning:

• Build your identity with the network, not just within it

• Early adoption of network branding creates competitive advantages

• Brand integration signals commitment to prospects and partners

• Stability comes from member commitment, not just network size

The Jeroen Method:

• Embrace new opportunities while others hesitate

• Make network membership central to firm identity

• Stay committed through early challenges

• Leverage brand recognition for client confidence

• Position boutique size as an advantage, not limitation

For Network Success:

• Respond quickly to international requests

• Build personal relationships with network partners

• Share clients across multiple network firms

• Contribute to network stability through long-term thinking

Closing

Today, as TGS has grown from that basement meeting to a global network, Jeroen's bet on brand integration looks prescient. He'll be the first to tell you it wasn't about predicting the future but about committing to help build it.

The question isn't whether Jeroen's approach worked. It's whether you're ready to make network membership central to your firm's identity.

Visit TGS Lime Tree

What's your firm's relationship with the TGS brand? Share your story with us.