Before founding The Means Cooperative, Burton and Hayes both worked in commercial media production for automakers in Detroit and attended Democratic Socialists of America meetings.

The service features films, documentaries, television series, an original news program called Means Morning News, and independent creators from YouTube and Twitch.

Hayes has cited the anarchist podcast Street Fight as an inspiration for his decision to create Means TV, having worked with Street Fight to record live performances in 2017 and 2019.

[10] On Saturday, August 8, 2020 Hayes and Burton's home and office was attacked in a drive-by shooting.

[12] The first game published by Means Interactive is Tonight We Riot, released in May 2020 and developed by Pixel Pushers Union 512, itself a worker-owned cooperative.