Unraveling the Secrets to Brand Classification & Industry Categories: Ether, Air, Fire, Water, and Earth by Ideazfirst 5-star framework
Your Business Doesn't Fit in a Drop-Down Menu. Here's Why That's Not Your Fault.
The Problem Every Founder Has Hit — And Shrugged Off
You've felt it. That small, irritating moment during onboarding — signing up on Linkedin, Facebook, Google, Bing Places for Business, or Twitter — where you're asked to pick your "Industry Category" from a drop-down list.
You scroll. Arts and Entertainment. Banking and Finance. Government & Community. Food and Drink. Education. None of them quite say what you do. You pick the closest one and move on, because what else can you do?
Here's the uncomfortable truth: no two platforms use the same list. There's no global standard. Your category on Google isn't your category on Bing, isn't your category on the GST portal. And in India, this problem gets sharper — HSN and SAC code classification for GST filing is so intricate that even seasoned Chartered Accountancy firms struggle to recall the right codes without looking them up.
You scroll. Arts and Entertainment. Banking and Finance. Government & Community. Food and Drink. Education. None of them quite say what you do. You pick the closest one and move on, because what else can you do?
Here's the uncomfortable truth: no two platforms use the same list. There's no global standard. Your category on Google isn't your category on Bing, isn't your category on the GST portal. And in India, this problem gets sharper — HSN and SAC code classification for GST filing is so intricate that even seasoned Chartered Accountancy firms struggle to recall the right codes without looking them up.
Even the institutions built to solve this haven't fully solved it. When S&P Dow Jones Indices and MSCI Inc. restructured the Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) in March 2023, sectors were reshuffled — but the standard still isn't universally adopted across platforms, regulators, or registration systems.
So the real question isn't "which box do I tick?" It's this:
Is there a classification system elegant enough to fit every industry on earth — manufacturing, services, government — without overlap, without a thousand-line drop-down, and without needing a CA firm to decode it?
Business re-classification based on five elements of Nature and gender
Nature and the elements are infinitely organized. There are five elements i.e. Ether, Air, Fire, Water and Earth which interchange forms dynamically and sequentially as a part of a natural rythm. And there are two aspects in most living beings - Male and female or better still - Adam & Eve
Adam represent the mass production or manufacturing operations, and with lesser orientation towards personalized and customized services. We derive this logic from the fact that one hundred million identical sperm cells are released in one ejaculation by a healthy man.
Eve represent service-based operations, with higher customized and personalized offerings also leading to more emotional connect and sensitivity. Again, this logic is derived from the reproduction system where the baby is incubated based on only one sperm fertilized with one egg.
We have code named this as Ideazfirst Five Star Framework as it's based on five elements and two genders, we can classify all the business and government functions into a total of 10-point classification. This framework is derived from the ancient Hindu Vedic texts i.e. Pancha bhoota which is the basis of cosmic creation
How does it help or why should anyone consider this as a management thought - The Five Star framework offers unique and systematic solutions to business problems, for example it helps in designing your business blueprint, process workflows, identifying key clients, vendors, and partners for your business, also helps in planning your marketing activities and fuel it for growth.
Please contact us at connect@ideazfirst.com for appointments and consulting projects.
The Elements are represented as E1, E2, E3, E4 and E5 and the male aspect is represented by alphabet A (Adam) denoting mass production and female aspect is represented as alphabet E (Eve) denoting customization of the product as below: -
E1 - Ether based business - Ether based companies are companies that manufacture products and deliver services that deal in ether - i.e. sound, spirit, knowledge. This is represented in Blue as the third color of the rainbow.
E1 A - Equipments and devices that help in capturing, creation and sharing of ether in both industrial and consumer space are classified in this section.
Computers, File Servers, Storage devices - Microsoft, Dell, IBM, JBL, Sony, Bose
Communication equipment manufacturers like mobiles, telephones - Apple, Samsung, NEC, Grand Stream Networks etc
Audio devices, sound systems - JBL speakers, Harman - Soundcraft Audio Mixers,
Musical instrument manufacturers - Fender, Gibson, Roland
Publishing companies - Printed Books & magazines, audiobooks, digital books, etc.
Stationery Companies - Notebooks, Pens, Pencils etc.
E1 E - Services that help in capturing, creation and sharing of knowledge and information. Sectors of companies are -
Software, SaaS, based Companies - Google, Apple, Microsoft, Zoho, Amazon - IMDb, Amazon Web Services,
Online Database Subscription
News and media - Times of India, Zee News, India Today, Aaj Tak, FirstPost, News18, TV9, Bloomberg,
Consulting services - McKinsey, BCG, Bloomberg, EY, PriceWaterHouse Coopers,
Audio Recording labels - EMI, Sony Music Entertainment, Universal Music Group, and Warner Music Group.
Musical Instrument retailing - Music instrument shops, company owned showrooms like Roland
Music subscription - Apple Music, Amazon Music, Spotify, Youtube Music, Vevo
Public Relations companies - Reuters, PRNewsWire,
Spiritual organizations like Yogoda Satsanga Society, Self Realization Fellowship, Pranic Healing Institute, Art of Living, Mindvalley, Headspace etc
E2 - Air based business - Air based companies are companies that manufacture products and deliver services that are related to people and heart, i.e. help in managing people, education, healthcare, social responsibility, and human feelings, and emotions. This is represented in Green as the fourth colour of the rainbow.
E2 A - Medical equipments and medicine manufacturing companies - Sun Pharma, Divis Labs, Cipla, Dr. Reddys Labs
Readymade garment manufacturing for both men and women like Shirts, trousers, sarees, etc. - Arrow, United Colors of Benetton,
When the garment manufacturing companies also retail their garments through their own flagship stores then they fall into both E2A and E2B category - Turtle, Raymonds etc.
E2 E - Fashion designers - Manish Malhotra, Sabyasachi, Neeta Lulla, etc.
Teachers & Educational Institutes - Heritage Institute of Technology, Harvard Business School, IIT, IIM etc.
Doctors & Hospitals and Nursing homes - Apollo Hospitals,
Lawyers & Law firms - Fox & Mandal,
Tours and travel companies - MakeMyTrip, (however all the travel websites which just review and share travel information like tripadvisor.com would come in E1 A category)
Clubs and Associations - Indian Chamber of Commerce, CII, Advertising Club, Tollygunge Club, Bengal Rowing Club etc.
Social Media Networking companies - Linkedin, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Telegram etc.
Manpower firms - placement consultants, Temp staffing and contract workers providing companies - ABC Consultants
Trainers & Training & development firms -
Non-Profit, NGOs, Social cause organizations, Insurance companies like LIC - managing fear of uncertainty - managing emotions
E3 - Fire based business - Fire based companies are companies that manufacture products and deliver services that help in managing visual appeal, food and all inflamatory products like electricity, fuel etc. This is represented in Yellow as the fifth colour of the rainbow.
E3 A - Visual Electronic devices like TV sets, Mobile devices, Tablets - LG, Sony, iphone, ipad,
LPG Cylinders mfg - Bharatgas, Indane Gas,
Petroleum and diesel production / refinery - Indian Oil Corporation, HPCL, Bharat Petroleum, Reliance Petroleum
Electricity producing companies,
Wires and cables for electrical transfer
E3 E- Entertainment content producing companies which appeal the ears, feelings and eyes i.e. Photography, Films, Dance, Comedy, Music reality shows,
Cinema halls - Inox, PVR, Auditoriums, Drama and Theatre,
OTT Platforms - Netflix, Amazon Prime etc.
On demand and customized food delivery companies, Restaurants, Electricity delivery - CESC etc
E4 - Water based business - Water based companies are companies that manufacture products and deliver services that help in managing the water element and design, planning, reproduction systems. This is represented in Orange as the sixth colour of the rainbow.
E4 A - Water cleaning - water filters, water storage like - utensils, transfer companies like water tanks, taps, pipes, bathroom fittings, contraceptive or birth control products like condoms, Personal Hygiene products like - sanitary napkins, diapers, etc
E4 E - Creative & Design agencies offering design and planning services fall under this category. Some categories are advertising design, Architecture design, Interior design, Organizational Design, Industrial design i.e. Ogilvy, JWT, IDEO. Interestingly this category also includes the oldest business in the world, i.e prostitution services. And includes pornography websites offering subscriptions and sexual wellness services.
E5 - Earth based business - Earth based companies are companies that manufacture products and deliver services that help in managing the earth element - touch, see, taste and feel element. This is represented in Red as the seventh colour of the rainbow.
E5 A - Almost all the product manufacturing companies which do not fall on the above categories can be grouped here. For example -
Food and Agriculture production - Farmers
FMCG manufacturing companies - Hindustan Unilever Ltd, ITC, P&G,
Real estate development companies,
E5 E - Banking and financial services like Home Loans, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, State Bank of India, Axis Bank etc.
Shares and Mutual funds trading companies,
Brokerage services - Real estate brokerage, stock broking firms,
Audit and Accounting companies - PwC, KPMG, Deloitte & Touche
Real estate - serviced office companies like Regus,
Hotels & Hospitality Businesses like Marriott, Westin, Hyatt, Taj Group, Oberoi Group
Please note that all the allied services that support the respective business categories will fall under the same business classification.
All humans worldwide look the same with the organs and body parts aligned in the same fashion, it's just that some organs and skillsets are stronger than others in specific tribes and species. Hence, we can safely derive that all businesses can have the same organizational structure and process workflows irrespective of the type of industry they operate in. The only difference would be in the capacity and skill of certain departments.
For example all the ether-based businesses will have their vendors as earth-based business and clients as air-based business and so on and so forth.
We are updating the best practices in organizational structure design for all industries and 5 star framework for Governments and is available for all users.
Important Notes -
Rajesh Kishanpuriya, Founder and CEO of Ideazfirst, has conceptualized the Five-Star Framework, a copyrighted intellectual creation. Ideazfirst stands as a pioneer in organizational design and classification inspired by nature and its five elements. The framework represents a transformative model of dynamic thinking, envisioned by him during deep meditation.
We are actively conducting research to document real-world case studies and success stories based on this framework—the first known business classification system derived directly from the Ayurvedic principles of nature and the Panchabhoota (five elements).
For business agility and transformation consulting projects, speaking engagements, collaborations, or workshops, please reach out at rajeshk@ideazfirst.com. We welcome your feedback and insights at connect@ideazfirst.com.
This work is protected under copyright. Please contact us for publishing permissions. Unauthorized copying or distribution is strictly prohibited.