Schedule a consultation: (825) 509-1559
Email: info@friendlygorillas.com
Friendly Gorillas is built on a family tradition of hard work, resilience, and service.
The Benatshipama family immigrated to Canada in 1998, settling in Edmonton. In 2005, one of the five brothers, Michel K. Benatshipama, purchased a 16-foot moving truck and began serving households and businesses throughout the region. That moment marked the family’s first step into the moving, logistics, and transportation industry.
Over the years, the family gained valuable experience helping people relocate their homes and businesses. Through that work, they learned something important: moving is rarely just about transporting belongings. More often, it is part of a much larger life transition.
In 2020, with just $1,500 and a clear vision, Louis Bena K. Benatshipama launched Friendly Gorillas in Calgary.
What began as a small moving operation during the uncertainty of the COVID-19 pandemic quickly grew as the company built a reputation for reliability, professionalism, and care. As the business evolved, it became clear that many clients needed more than movers — they needed someone who could organize and manage the entire transition.
By 2025, the company formally repositioned as Friendly Gorillas Move & Transition Management, specializing in complex residential relocations, downsizing, and estate transitions. Today, Friendly Gorillas operates with a simple philosophy:
One Team. One Plan. Every Detail Handled.
Friendly Gorillas is led by its founder and managing director, Louis Bena K. Benatshipama, a Congolese-born, Canadian-raised entrepreneur with experience across several industries, including banking, financial technology, security management, transportation, and real estate.
Louis began his professional career at Scotiabank before moving into leadership and business development roles within both emerging companies and established organizations.
He is a graduate of the business program at MacEwan University and continues his executive education at the Haskayne School of Business.
Louis is currently completing the Certified Relocation and Transition Specialist program, a professional discipline focused on helping seniors and families navigate complex home transitions such as downsizing, relocation, and aging-in-place decisions.
His approach to building Friendly Gorillas reflects a broader belief that major life transitions deserve careful planning, coordination, and compassionate support.
A BROADER VISION
Friendly Gorillas is part of a broader entrepreneurial vision focused on supporting individuals and families through important stages of life.
In 2024, Louis founded Dignified Homecare: Senior Support Services, an agency dedicated to 5 helping older adults maintain independence and quality of life while aging at home.
The mission behind that work reflects a philosophy shared across the group’s initiatives: A Dignified Life at Home — Happy Life. Longer Life.
Together, these efforts form part of the long-term vision of The Benatshipama Family Investment Corporation, a family-owned group focused on building businesses that create lasting value for the communities they serve.
THE FRIENDLY GORILLAS® APPROACH
Friendly Gorillas was built to solve a problem many families experience during major moves and life transitions.
Instead of coordinating multiple vendors and services on their own, clients can rely on a single team to plan, organize, and manage the entire process.
From planning and packing to relocation, downsizing, and final placement, Friendly Gorillas ensures every stage of the transition is structured, coordinated, and professionally executed.
Predictable ● Protected ● Peace of Mind
As the flagship brand of The Benatshipama® Family Investment Corporation, Friendly Gorillas Management Company is a true Canadian success story—and we are proud of what we continue to build.
The Benatshipama family immigrated to Canada in 1998, settling in Edmonton, Alberta. In 2005, one of the five brothers, Michel K. Benatshipama, purchased a box truck, officially marking the family’s entry into the moving industry.
In 2020, with just a $1,500 investment, our Visionary Founder & Managing Director, Louis Bena K. Benatshipama, launched Friendly Gorillas Junk and Moving Company in Calgary, Alberta. Founded during the COVID-19 pandemic, the company was created to provide affordable relocation services and support Louis’s young family.
By 2023, we successfully repositioned our brand as:
Friendly Gorillas: Complete Moving Solutions.
