Work Made Human Podcast: Kate Dilligan, Cooler Heads
On this episode of Work Made Human, hosts Nichole and Jill talk with Kate Dilligan, founder and CEO of Cooler Heads, for a conversation that’s as honest as it is inspiring.
From San Diego, Kate shares her personal journey as a breast cancer survivor and how that experience led her to launch Cooler Heads, a company bringing scalp cooling therapy within reach for chemotherapy patients. She opens up about the deeply human impact of hair loss during cancer treatment—how it shapes privacy, identity, and agency at work and in everyday life.
Read 3 Things We Learned from Kate Dilligan About Building Work That Matters to hear more from Kate Dilligan about the "party's over" moment that cost her CEO her loyalty, why she'd eliminate email as primary workplace communication, and why she learned to pitch Cooler Heads without leading with her personal story.
show notes:
03:24 - Cancer Patient's Emotional Burden
08:41 - Overcoming Challenges with Learning
12:38 - Startup Plans and Commitment
15:46 - Email/Text Can Lack Clarity
19:17 - Sunday Call: 'Party's Over'
22:09 - Learning to Tell the Story
25:02 Hope for Future Work Trends