how does a silent partner compare to a general partner 
regardless of the aforementioned usual roles of a silent partner giving guidance when solicited providing business contacts to develop the business and mediating a dispute between other partners it is considered a background role that cedes control to the general partner this requires the silent partner to have full confidence in the general partner s ability to grow the business the silent partner also may need to ensure that their management styles or corporate visions are compatible advantages and disadvantages of a silent partneradvantages of being a silent partner include having less responsibility and time commitment to the business an opportunity for passive income through their investment and having limited liability the silent partner may also have little to no knowledge of the company or even the industry in which it operates since they have no involvement in the business operations 12all of these can lead to financial gain without active engagement in the business disadvantages of being a silent partner include losing their investment having no influence or control over business decisions and potential disagreements or incompatibility that could harm the partnership there is also legal risk but silent partners are often immune to legal actions taken against the firm and its management because they are hands off partners 12a potential silent partner should consider all these factors before proceeding less responsibility and time commitment to the businesspassive incomelimited liabilitylosing their investmenthaving no influence or control over business decisionspotential disagreements or incompatibility