We’ll be talking about something slightly different today: not web hosting explicitly, but rather the business of web hosting. Specifically, we’ll be discussing what companies web hosts need to partner with for optimum success, and a new website that will help companies do just that.If your company is involved with the Internet in any way, you’ll want to take note of a new site that recently went into beta: BeanSprout. Although it’s not explicitly explained anywhere, we’re assuming the name refers to how you can expect your business opportunities to grow after getting involved with them. You see, BeanSprout is a network for companies in the web hosting, e-commerce, and internet services industries. Since so many of these companies rely on services from others, it makes sense that someone would finally create an easy way to create partnerships between willing companies.Co-founder Alex Kehayias actually worked in the web hosting industry before setting out on his own to create BeanSprout. That experience showed him what successful web hosts require: resellers, technology integration, and co-marketing. “You simply don’t have the resources to do it all yourself,” Kehayias said in an interview.It’s free to sign up and create a profile on BeanSprout. The creation process includes questions about your company’s goals, values, what you’re looking for in a partner, and what your company can offer. BeanSprout then sends out weekly e-mails with potential matches. You can view more information about the company and then click the “Show Interest” button, including a message about what sort of partnership you’re interested in. It’s all a little like internet dating for businesses, but regardless, it seems like a worthwhile ideaafter all, what have you got to lose by signing up for free? In addition, it provides an easy way to find out which other companies are actually interested in partnering, allowing you to save some time in the long run.BeanSprout also runs a blog, which features articles such as “How to Use Co-marketing to Reach Your Target Audience” and “5 Partnership Lessons You Can Learn From Computer Manufacturers.” Companies can glean a number of benefits from this blog: first, you don’t have to sign up to view it, so there’s nothing to stop you from going to www.bnsprt.com today and learning a little something extra about marketing. Second, it illustrates how a company can make itself even more desirable through a blog. Consider creating a blog for your own company and see if you can attract more partnerships and customers. Then, check out BeanSprout for a chance to find the partnership that could catapult your business into the big leagues.