Connect
To Top

Rising Stars: Meet Natasha Clay & Lationa Sterling of Miami Florida

Today we’d like to introduce you to Natasha Clay & Lationa Sterling.

Hi Natasha clay & Lationa Sterling, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
From Lationa:
Our story really began with family and heart. Growing up, we had close family members with disabilities, so from a young age we naturally stepped into the role of providing care, support, and advocacy. That experience gave us passion and shaped how we saw our futures.

For me, I started right out of high school as a personal assistant with Quality support under Karen Scott — someone I will always respect and appreciate (shout out to Miss Karen), because she truly inspired me. That experience lit a spark in me. I realized how much I loved supporting individuals and making a difference in their daily lives.

From Natasha:
I always was the loving, supportive, and caring person — the one who thought I could fix things or help people with whatever they were going through. That part of me has always guided my heart. At the same time, I was also the business-minded one — the visionary, the motivator, the one pushing us to dream bigger.

Lationa and I grew up more like sisters than cousins, and I saw how passionate she was about this work. One day I said to her, “We can do this. We can build something of our own.” With my drive and her dedication, we decided to take that leap of faith.

From Both of Us:
We sat down together, drafted a business plan, brainstormed a name, and filed our application. The beginning wasn’t easy — it took over a year before we received our very first consumer. Then one day, we got an email from Veronica (a big shout out to Veronica from the African American Advocacy for People with Disabilities). Through that connection, we were introduced to our first consumer. From that moment on, we hit the ground running and never looked back.

From Natasha:
Fast forward to today, and we are blessed to serve many wonderful consumers from all walks of life.

From Lationa:
We’re not only providing top-tier services, but also traveling, exploring new communities, and enjoying every moment of this journey.

From Both of Us:
What started with family has grown into a calling — one we continue to pursue with passion, faith, and gratitude.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. In the beginning, one of the biggest struggles was patience. After completing our business plan and filing all the paperwork, we had to wait for over a year before receiving our very first consumer. During that time, there were plenty of doubts and challenges — sending out emails every day, introducing ourselves to coordinators and families, and just hoping someone would give us a chance.

Another struggle was building trust. As a new agency, people didn’t know who we were yet, and we had to prove through our actions that we were committed, reliable, and here to stay. We also faced the typical obstacles of learning compliance, balancing limited resources, and doing a lot of the work ourselves in those early days.

But every struggle taught us something valuable — resilience, consistency, and faith. We kept pushing forward because we knew our passion was real and our purpose was bigger than the obstacles. Looking back, those challenges only made us stronger and prepared us to grow into what Your Way Services is today.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
At Your Way Services, our work is centered on serving individuals with disabilities through the APD Medicaid Waiver program. We provide a wide range of supports — companionship, personal support, life skills development, respite, supportive living, and supported employment — all with the goal of helping people live meaningful, independent, and fulfilling lives.

We specialize in creating opportunities for community inclusion. That means not just staying within four walls, but actively exploring — whether it’s local outings, traveling to new cities, or experiencing different cultures and communities. We are known for going the extra mile to make sure the individuals we serve don’t just receive services, but also experiences that enrich their lives.

What we’re most proud of is seeing our consumers smile and thrive — whether it’s gaining confidence to apply for a job, managing their own money, cooking their first meal, or simply enjoying a day out in the community. Those small milestones add up, and that’s what keeps us motivated every day.

What sets us apart is our personal connection and passion. This isn’t just a business for us — it’s a calling. We grew up in families where caregiving was part of life, so our work comes from a place of understanding, empathy, and genuine care. We bring family values into our agency, and we treat every consumer like family. That’s the heart of Your Way Services.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
What we like best about our city is the sense of diversity and opportunity. Our city is full of different cultures, backgrounds, and experiences, which gives us the chance to expose our consumers to so many new things. There’s always something happening — community events, local festivals, educational outings, and even day trips just a short drive away. It’s a city that allows us to really live out our mission of community inclusion.

What we like least is the lack of resources and accessibility in certain areas. While there are many opportunities here, sometimes it can be challenging to find spaces, programs, or funding that truly meet the needs of individuals with disabilities. Transportation can also be a hurdle. But that’s exactly why we do what we do — to bridge those gaps, advocate for change, and make sure the people we serve still get to experience all the beauty and opportunities this city has to offer.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Photos courtesy of Your Way Services

Suggest a Story: VoyageMIA is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More in Local Stories

  • Community Highlights:

    The community highlights series is one that our team is very excited about.  We’ve always wanted to foster certain habits within...

    Local StoriesSeptember 8, 2021
  • Heart to Heart with Whitley: Episode 4

    You are going to love our next episode where Whitley interviews the incredibly successful, articulate and inspiring Monica Stockhausen. If you...

    Whitley PorterSeptember 1, 2021
  • Introverted Entrepreneur Success Stories: Episode 3

    We are thrilled to present Introverted Entrepreneur Success Stories, a show we’ve launched with sales and marketing expert Aleasha Bahr. Aleasha...

    Local StoriesAugust 25, 2021