Thanks to those who responded/boosted this topic! I thought I'd do a quick summary about my #mastodon server question.

- Do nothing. This is the default, and easy option. If people want to refer to the business they need to tag instead (eg #medeopolis).

- https://masto.host/ was recommended to me and I'd been looking sideways at it already. Assuming the $6 minimum is USD that means it'll cost around $10 AUD each month for #mastohost plus or minus depending on fluctuations in the exchange rate.

- Start our own. A pro is that it might pay for itself if other #business join, the con is running a mastodon instance 😆 The price of that is variable too, but based on the user/customer base rather than completely external factors.

- fairdinkum.masto.host was suggested as an #australian instance without as many anti business/ #company /#brand rules as some others. I haven't had a chance to look in to it yet so thats all I can tell you about #fairdinkum (:

Thanks to everyone who messaged (publicly or privately) for your suggestions!