Editing Ferdinand Waldo Demara (section)

=== Guiding philosophy ===
Demara told his biographer he was successful in his roles because he was able to fit into positions that no one else had previously occupied. Demara explained it in the following excerpt from his biography:{{blockquote|'(Demara) had come to two beliefs. One was that in any organization there is always a lot of loose, unused power lying about which can be picked up without alienating anyone. The second rule is, if you want power and want to expand, never encroach on anyone else's domain; open up new ones...'}}

Demara referred to it as 'expanding into the power vacuum,' and described as such; 'if you come into a new situation (there's a nice word for it), don't join some other professor's committee and try to make your mark by moving up in that committee. You'll, one, have a long haul and two, make an enemy.' Demara's technique was to find his own committee. 'That way there's no competition, no past standards to measure you by. How can anyone tell you aren't running a top outfit? And then there's no past laws or rules or precedents to hold you down or limit you. Make your own rules and interpretations. Nothing like it. Remember it, expand into the power vacuum!'<ref name = TGI />{{rp|102–103}}
In his later years, he joined the Los Angeles Adventurers Club; he was noted as the only person to lie his way into the club.