About

Michael Valdini

CEO

With a diverse skill set honed through expertise in tax codes and a fervent passion for finance and business, Michael brings a multifaceted approach to capital markets, from small business lending to private equity and institutional-grade deal structuring. Leveraging a deep understanding of federal and state tax regulations, he builds financial solutions that optimize both structure and outcomes for his clients.

Mav Equity is Michael’s private equity platform, focused on business acquisitions and raising LP capital from accredited investors. Through Mav Equity, Michael sources, structures, and syndicates deals, connecting qualified investors with high-conviction opportunities in private business and growth equity. The firm is built on the principle that disciplined underwriting and the right capital partners create asymmetric returns.

As CEO of Block Equity Group and President of SBA Lending, Michael has spent over four years building one of the most trusted boutique financial solutions firms in the country, specializing in SBA loans, lines of credit, and MCA solutions for small businesses nationwide. Earlier in his career, as a Financial Controller and advisor at Joseph Stone Capital, Michael managed over $100 million in client assets, experience that gave him an institutional foundation few in the boutique lending space can match.

A graduate of Farmingdale State College in Accounting, Business, and Personal/Financial Services Marketing Operations, Michael has built his career on the belief that strong numbers tell a story, and that story, told well, opens doors.

Outside of the office, nothing matters more to me than time with my daughter, Sasha. She’s my why, the reason I push to build something meaningful and lasting. Those moments, big or small, remind me exactly what I’m working toward. That same sense of purpose is what I bring to every client relationship and every deal I close.

Jeeda Salloum

Partner

As a Partner at Block Equity Group, I lead strategic growth initiatives, forge key partnerships, and help guide our team in delivering innovative funding solutions to small and mid-sized businesses. I combine my background in psychology with a deep understanding of market behavior to drive smarter decision-making, stronger client relationships, and long-term success.

We’re committed to helping businesses access the capital they need while staying ahead of industry trends through data-driven, human-centered strategies.

Joseph Valdini

Partner and Vice President

Joseph Valdini is a Partner and Vice President at Block Equity Group, where he helps lead the firm’s funding work for small and mid-sized businesses across the country.

He brings more than fifteen years in financial services to the role. Joseph spent a decade as a financial advisor and portfolio manager at Aegis Capital, advising high net worth clients on their portfolios, and later held senior sales leadership roles in the restaurant and hospitality supply industry. That combination of finance and hands on business experience shapes his approach to funding: practical, fast, and built around how a business actually runs.

Joseph studied at Farmingdale State College and is based in New York.