From team leader to project leadership, and beyond
When Anders Ekman talks about his career, one theme comes up again and again: growth.
Not growth in terms of titles or promotions, but growth through new experiences, bigger challenges, and opportunities to step into responsibilities he might not have chosen for himself. Today, he works asa Project Manager, leading complex deliveries and helping teams succeed. Yet when he looks back on his journey, his path feels less like a carefully planned career move and more like a series of opportunities that gradually revealed where he belonged.
Before joining epical three and a half years ago, Anders worked as a team leader within e-commerce. During that time, he became increasingly interested in agile ways of working and the dynamics of high-performing teams.
– I’ve always been interested in finding ways to improve and make things more efficient. Scrum really resonated with me because it’s ultimately a framework for helping teams work better together. That aligns very well with how I am as a person.
After studying to become a Scrum Master, he soon found his way to epical. While his initial focus was on Scrum-related roles, it did not take long before he was invited to take on broader responsibilities.
“I was challenged to develop from the very beginning.”
One of the defining moments in Anders’ career was the transition from Scrum Master to Project Manager. Looking back, he describes it as the foundation for much of his professional development.
– I was challenged to develop from the very beginning. Management saw potential in me and offered me roles that maybe I wouldn’t have dared to ask for myself. They were challenges that felt big, but never impossible. Taking the step from Scrum Master to Project Manager has really been the foundation of my epical journey.
That progression did not happen overnight. Instead, it came through a continuous process of learning, testing new skills, and taking on assignments with increasing levels of responsibility.
What stands out most when Anders reflects on that journey is the balance between being challenged and being supported.
– The people around me have been very good at finding the next step that’s challenging, but not overwhelming. I’ve often felt like I was being handed a slightly bigger pair of shoes, but every time I’ve managed to grow into them.
For Anders, much of professional growth comes from exactly those moments; when someone sees potential in you before you fully see it yourself.
“Seeing all the pieces come together is incredibly rewarding.”
While project management was not necessarily part of a long-term career plan, Anders now sees clear connections between the role and his personality.
Throughout his career, he found himself noticing opportunities for improvement, looking for better ways of working, and naturally stepping into leadership situations. Over time, managing projects and guiding teams simply felt like a natural next step.
Today, one of the most rewarding parts of his work is seeing teams come together around a shared goal.
– What I enjoy most is helping build the team, creating the structures and processes, and then seeing everything start to work. When people have the right conditions to succeed, you can step back and watch the team move forward together. Seeing all those pieces come together is incredibly rewarding.
“Where people can be themselves…
Great things tend to happen.”
When asked which of epical’s virtues resonates most strongly with him, Anders does not hesitate before answering: empathy.
For him, empathy is much more than simply being kind. It is the foundation that makes effective collaboration possible.
– Empathy is the foundation. If you create a safe environment where people feel supported and valued, the other things follow naturally. Curiosity, accountability and empowerment all become easier when people trust each other.
This philosophy shapes how he approaches his work every day. Whether working with colleagues, customers or project teams, he focuses on creating trust and psychological safety.
– I always try to build teams where people can be themselves, not just their professional role. When you create that environment, great things tend to happen.
“From day one… It felt like there was a lot of heart here.”
When Anders joined epical, it was the people who first caught his attention. A recommendation from a friend led him to apply, but it was the culture and the sense of community that convinced him to stay.
– I met very open, genuine and welcoming people. When I joined, it felt like we were a team from day one. We had lunch together, spent time together, and worked together toward common goals. It felt like there was a lot of heart here.
He also values the strong team culture that runs through many of epical’s deliveries.
– No matter which customer you’re working with, you always have your colleagues behind you. We know each other, we trust each other, and we support each other. That creates a sense of security that I wouldn’t want to be without.
Yet culture alone is not what has kept him at epical. Equally important have been the opportunities to continue growing.
Over the years, Anders has worked alongside highly experienced colleagues, taken on increasingly complex assignments, and participated in large-scale delivery projects involving hundreds of people. Each challenge has contributed to his development as both a leader and a professional.
“There’s always another step you can take, another thing you can learn…”
Despite everything he has accomplished so far, Anders feels he is far from finished learning.
In fact, the opposite may be true.
– I’ll never be fully learned. There will always be people I can learn from and skills I can improve. That’s what motivates me. There’s always another step you can take, another thing you can learn, and another way you can become better.
It’s a mindset that has guided him throughout his career: stay curious, embrace challenges, and keep moving forward.
And perhaps that is what Anders’ story is about. Not reaching a destination, but continuing to grow, one step at a time.
