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Nicole Daedone

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Nicole Daedone is an American writer and business executive. She founded and became the CEO of OneTaste in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Early life and education

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Nicole Daedone was born in Los Gatos, California,[1] she holds a bachelor's degree in communication studies[clarification needed] from San Francisco State University.[2][3] She studied with teachers of yoga and Buddhist meditation, and with Ray Vetterlein, who was in turn inspired by Morehouse, a community of which Daedone was a member.[4][5] Former students of Baranco set up their own practices and groups, among them The Welcomed Consensus. She lived at The Welcomed Consensus, a community formed by former Morehouse students for two years. Morehouse and the Welcomed Consensus, regarded themselves as "the elite connoisseurs of exquisite gourmet sex."[5] "The Welcomed Consensus had no desire to be mainstream. But Daedone had bigger ideas" according to Ken Blackman, a member of Welcome Consensus and later Onetaste.[5]

Career

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Daedone published her first book, Slow Sex, in 2012. Since 2022, she published a number of books on a range of topics. Daedone draws parallels between slow sex and the Slow Food movement associated with chef Alice Waters.[6] With sex as with food, she says, people can overindulge without getting nourishment, or go from one extreme of consuming mindlessly to the other extreme of self-denial.[7] The principles of her philosophy are in her book, Eros Sutras, Volume 1: Principles which has become an Amazon.com best seller in women's spirituality.[8]

OneTaste

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Main article: OneTaste

OneTaste was cofounded in San Francisco by Nicole Daedone and Robert Kandell. Daedone stated that a Buddhist monk introduced her to orgasmic meditation before she started OneTaste, though she did not name the monk nor the lineage the monk studied under.[9] OneTaste trademarked the "orgasmic meditation" (OM) procedure delivered through the company's classes.[citation needed]

OneTaste originally operated two communal-style "urban retreat" centers, one in San Francisco's Soma District and another in Lower Manhattan.[10] OneTaste then expanded to Los Angeles and London.[11] The company produced media, workshops, weekend retreats, and a coach training program. In 2014, OneTaste was listed as an Inc. 5000 fastest growing company.[12]

Investigations

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In 2015, a former employee received a six-figure settlement for sexual assault and harassment.[13] OneTaste was then investigated by the FBI for prostitution, sex trafficking, and violations of labor law.[14] The company made $12 million in revenue in 2017.[13] In 2018, OneTaste closed all of their U.S. locations and stopped hosting in-person classes.[11]

In June 2023, Daedone and former head of sales Rachel Cherwitz were indicted on charges of conspiracy for forced labor.[15] Daedone, who was the company’s chief executive officer, was charged by federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, New York. Rachel Cherwitz, OneTaste’s former head of sales, was also charged. According to the government, Daedone and Cherwitz claimed to be able to help those recover from past sexual trauma or abuse but instead manipulated their victims into debt.[15][16]

Former members of the organization testifying about their experience at OneTaste said it "resembled a kind of prostitution ring" where managers frequently ordered staffers to engage in sexual relations with customers.[13] According to NBC News, the company’s staffers sometimes were told "to engage in sexual acts they found uncomfortable or repulsive as a requirement to obtain 'freedom' and 'enlightenment' and demonstrate their commitment to OneTaste and Daedone", the indictment claims, and "resistance … was not tolerated".[17] Meanwhile, according to the indictment, OneTaste did not pay promised wages and commissions to members-turned-workers.[17]

Arrest and indictment

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Daedone was charged with engaging in a years long conspiracy to manipulate victims of past sexual trauma and abuse into providing forced labor.[18] Former OneTaste sales chief Rachel Cherwitz was arrested in northern California on June 21, 2023.[19] Both were indicted on a forced labor conspiracy charge.[20] As of February 2024, a federal judge in Brooklyn has tentatively set a trial date for January 2025.[21]

In the media

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Daedone is the focus of the 2022 Netflix documentary Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste.[22]

Publications

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  • Slow Sex: the Art and Craft of the Female Orgasm. New York: Grand Central Publishing. 2012. ISBN 978-0-446-56718-3. OCLC 858900850.
  • The Eros Sutras. Vol. 1: Principles. Great Work Publishing. 2023. ISBN 978-1-961064-00-3. OCLC 1390560063.
  • The Eros Sutras. Vol. 2: Tumescence. Great Work Publishing. 2023. ISBN 978-1-961064-02-7.
  • The Eros Sutras. Vol. 3: Orgasmic Meditation. Great Work Publishing. 2023. ISBN 978-1-961064-16-4.
  • Erotic Justice: Making Social Change from Love. Great Work Publishing. 2023. ISBN 978-1-961064-07-2.
  • From Guards to Guardians: Rebuilding Prisons from the Ground Up. Great Work Publishing. 2023. ISBN 978-1-961064-15-7. OCLC 1396699143.
  • Play: A Path to Genius. Great Work Publishing. 2023. ISBN 978-1-961064-10-2. OCLC 1407314448.
  • The Eros Sutras. Vol. 4: Relationship. Great Work Publishing. 2024. ISBN 978-1-961064-24-9.

References

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  1. ^ Spicuzza, Mary (4 April 2007). "Sex and Sensuality". SF Weekly. Archived from the original on 10 June 2011. Retrieved 6 September 2014. Alt URL
  2. ^ Mary Spicuzza (2007-04-04). "Sex and Sensuality". SF Weekly. Retrieved 2014-06-25.
  3. ^ "Nicole Daedone". WishSummit.com. Retrieved 6 September 2014.
  4. ^ Brown, Patricia Leigh; Pogash, Carol (2009-03-13). "The Pleasure Principle". The New York Times.
  5. ^ a b c Brown, Mick (2021-04-24). "Inside the multi-million dollar orgasm cult endorsed by Hollywood". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Retrieved 2023-09-30.
  6. ^ Spicuzza, Mary (April 4, 2007). "Sex and Sensuality". San Francisco Weekly. Retrieved April 14, 2009.
  7. ^ Cometto, Maria Teresa (April 20, 2008). "Vuoi fare OMing con me?". Grazia (in Italian). pp. 93–94.
  8. ^ "Amazon Best Sellers: Best Women's Inspirational Spirituality". p-nt-www-amazon-com-kalias.amazon.com. Retrieved 2023-08-04.
  9. ^ Weiss, Suzannah (2016-08-23). "Can You Orgasm Your Way to Enlightenment?". Complex. Retrieved 2018-03-08.
  10. ^ "OneTaste". OneTaste Incorporated. Archived from the original on 2011-02-02. Retrieved 2011-02-04.
  11. ^ a b Huet, Ellen (2018-10-19). "OneTaste Stops 'Orgasmic Meditation' Classes, All Locations Set to Close". Bloomberg News. Retrieved 2021-04-24.
  12. ^ "OneTaste - San Francisco, CA". Inc.com. Retrieved 2021-04-24.
  13. ^ a b c Ellen Huet (18 June 2018). "The Dark Side of the Orgasmic Meditation Company". Bloomberg.com. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
  14. ^ "FBI Investigates 'Orgasmic Meditation' Company OneTaste: Report". The Daily Beast. 2018-11-14. Retrieved 2021-04-24.
  15. ^ a b "US founder of 'orgasmic meditation' startup indicted on forced labor charges". The Guardian. June 6, 2023. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  16. ^ "CEO of sexual wellness firm is charged with exploiting clients". Fortune Well. Retrieved 2023-10-13.
  17. ^ a b "Founder of sexuality-focused women's wellness company pleads not guilty in forced labor case". NBC News. 2023-06-14. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
  18. ^ "Founder of SF-based sexual wellness startup OneTaste charged with exploiting abuse victims". The Mercury News. 2023-06-07. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  19. ^ Scarcella, Mike (2023-09-21). "Lawyers for 'orgasmic meditation' company founder refute prosecutors' ethics concerns". Reuters. Retrieved 2023-09-29.
  20. ^ Jennifer, Peltz (2023-06-13). "Founder, ex-executive of edgy sexual wellness company OneTaste charged with forced labor conspiracy". ABC News. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
  21. ^ Scharf, Rachel (2024-02-01). "OneTaste Forced-Labor Trial Unlikely To Start Before 2025". Law360. Retrieved 2024-03-16.
  22. ^ "Orgasm Inc: The Story of OneTaste". Netflix Inc. June 12, 2023. Retrieved June 12, 2023.
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